Valley Of The Shadow Of Death
by kr3ativ23
Summary: When a bank becomes the center of hostage crisis with three CSIs inside will they survive? Secrets are revealed about everyone's personal lives. Relationships are exposed, as lives hang in the balance. Can mistakes be forgiven before it's too late? Can love conquer all? N&M, GSR, and Greg/Morgan...
1. Keep on Rolling

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! This is the multichapter with Nick and Mandy I promised.

Ch1: Keep on Rolling

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Nick pulled into a parking a space at the request of Morgan. Morgan had been having trouble with her bank and since there shift was over she thought a quick pit spot wouldn't hard. However in all reality she wanted to get away from Nick and Sara's constant bickering and fighting.

Any chance the two got they started to argue and Morgan was reaching her boiling point with the duo. After everything that had happened with her father and the stress from that and now these guys were almost too much. The tension in the Tahoe was overwhelming for Morgan.

Nick had been in quite a mood as the bruises on his face just started to heal; it was obvious he wasn't himself this last week and some change. He would have these mood swings of being depressed, being very angry, and had been very distant. Nick was now an angry sleeping bear and Sara was a risky kid with a stick, Morgan thought.

Morgan left the car entering her car as Sara followed eager to get a cup of complimentary coffee. Nick rested his head on his hand looking blankly ahead. Sara prepares a cup of coffee and sees Nick come in and walk to the bathroom, he looked like he was going through the motion, that's what upset her, the most. Sara sighed as she added a little sugar to her coffee.

"Did you get it fix?" Sara asked, she was unsure what the problem with Morgan's account was but wanted to make sure it was handled.

"I think so. The one time I write a check, it causes such a stir in my account." Morgan chuckled as she began to fix a cup of coffee.

"I bet…" Sara said sipping her coffee.

"So what's going on with you…" Morgan began to ask but was interrupted by gunfire. Sara dropped her coffee and pulled Morgan down. Screams from the other consumers erupted as at least two masked gunmen, that Sara saw, stormed the bank.

"Everyone stay down!" one of the gunmen yelled jumping on the counter.

"Give me the money!" the other gunmen yelled at the poor teller. The teller's hands shook as she tried to get the available.

Sara and Morgan hid by the counter not moving and still laying down. Sara was looking around trying to figure out what to do; she couldn't risk getting into a gun battle with these men. She didn't know where Nick was and that frightened her.

"Come on, hurry up!" The man yelled making the teller scream in fear. Sara saw another gunmen walk towards the teller, there were at least three gunmen, she concluded, and this one had a large rifle in his hands.

She saw mother's shielding their children, husbands shielding their wives. Then she saw Nick peek his head from the bathroom, his weapon in his hand. Nick walked against the wall in the blind spot. Nick could only see the one but he knew there were others but he couldn't see Sara and Morgan.

Nick stepped out from his blind spot and came face to face with one of the gunmen's weapons. Nick swatted the gun out of the way and tried to take the man down but was met by the hard butt of the rifle. Nick felt it hit his forehead and he saw stars and then it was lights out. Sara yelped seeing Nick fall angry. The teller took this time to hit the silent alarm. The man who knocked Nick out hopped the counter and punched the teller.

"Did you hit the alarm?!" the man yelled aiming the gun at her. She just started to sob as she shielded her face, maki9ng her pleas for life.

"Please…" she cried.

"Dude, just grab the money!" the other yelled hopping off of the table; he quickly started to grow nervous and lose confidence in what they were doing.

Sirens echoed and the sense of fear grew tremendously, as an eerie silence engulfed the room. Sara heard a few whimpers coming as she scanned the room finding Nick on the ground still.

"Oh no…" Sara said knowing that they weren't going anywhere. She started to take off her belt that had all her equipment including her weapon and ID and shove it under the nearby couch hiding it. "Put your stuff under the couch."

_If they don't know you're a cop, don't let them. You want the upper hand. _Sara remembered from their annual training on being taken as a hostage.

"Everyone on your feet!" the rifleman yelled just as Morgan got all her stuff under the couch and out of sight. "I said get up!" he yelled grabbing Sara pulling her up and pushing her towards the middle of the room. Morgan followed and Sara subconsciously shielded Morgan looking at Nick lay unconscious on the ground "Now, sit down!" he yelled, Sara knew that this creep was getting off on the power.

"Oh my god…" Morgan said finally seeing Nick down and unconscious. One of the gunmen walked over to him and both of the women feared the worst. The man grabbed his gun and tucked it in his waist band, but left Nick there.

Sirens grew closer as the gunmen pulled the blinds down as if really locking everyone in. Sara started to have a deep sense of fear in her stomach and knew Morgan felt the same way.

"Sara, what do we do?" Morgan whispered so softly and so fear stricken she wasn't even sure if Sara had heard her, but Sara did.

"We are staying…" Sara answered almost paralyzed in fear as the gunmen walked by them all showing everyone the weapons and that they weren't scared to use them.

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The CSIs are in trouble will they be able to get out... alive. What do you think? Please Review!


	2. Inside Out

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review!

Ch2: Inside Out

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Finn runs inside the lab searching for DB. Wind of the bank robbery and now hostage situation just hit back to the lab and was slowly making its way up the grapevine. Moreno had called Finn once he heard and knew he had to tell someone on the team. Finn ran to DB's office and saw him and Greg talking about their case.

"DB…" Finn said as she tried to regain her breath.

"What's wrong, Jules?" DB said, Finn choose to ignore the _Jules _knowing that what she had to tell him was more important.

"There's been an incident. Nick, Morgan, and Sara are being held hostage in a bank on Flamingo." She said quickly. Greg went wide eyed and looked at DB nervous. DB tossed the folder he was reading on his desk and stood up.

"What are they doing there?" DB said nervously as he left, they followed him.

"I don't know…" Finn said, as they blew past Mandy as she dug through her purse.

Mandy looked up seeing the CSIs just sprint past her, as she returned from the lunch. She looked puzzled at them as she checked her phone before frowning and sitting it in her pocket. She had been barely holding on these last couple days. She wasn't her usual quick comeback, putting-Hodges-in-his-place, quirky, and fun self these last couple days. She sighed as she put her stuff back in her locker and grabbed her lab coat. She headed to the break room to get a coffee when Hodges ran up to her.

"Did you hear?" he asked as he began searching for the remote.

"Listen, Hodges, I'm not up for any lab gossip no matter how juicy." She said as she began to fix herself a cup coffee.

"No gossip. Stokes, Sara, and Morgan are being held hostage…" he asked as he turned on the TV. The news came on and it was all over the news.

"A bank on Flamingo Road is the center of a tense hostage situation with three members of the LVPD crime lab inside. The sheriff at this time has not yet released a statement on the issue but we will be bringing you details on this story as it unfolds. Stay tuned, this has been Linda Hadley…" the reporter read as she was outside of the police barricade. Mandy's face fell.

"Oh my god…" Mandy stuttered in total shock. She dropped her coffee and left the break room struggling to take her lab coat off.

"Mandy…" Hodges yelled confused. Mandy threw off her lab coat and ran to the garage.

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DB pulls up and stops the car on the dot. There was a huge police presence already there. There was a huge barricade and SWAT and snipers set up everywhere. DB walked up to Brass and the SWAT commander as they talked.

"Brass, what's going on?" DB asked nervously.

"DB, this is Captain Ostrander. He's the Commanding Officer for our SWAT team." Brass introduced, the men shook hands.

"What do we have, Cap?" DB asked nervous of what he'd say. Finn and Greg looked at the bank but were unable to see much of the inside.

"we have at least two gunmen inside, we are unsure how many hostages inside… but Mr. Russell I know your guys' are inside and we are going to do everything to get them out." The captain said his tone echoed confidence and reassurance.

"Is anyone hurt?" DB asked not too convinced in the young Captain.

"Not that we know of. We are still trying to set up a surveillance inside." The captain said, as his walkie-talkie started to go off. "Excuse me, we have set up our command station at the pizza shop right there." He pointed leaving to lead his men. DB looked on at the bank, wondering how his guys were doing hoping that they weren't hurt.

"Put your cell phones in the bag!" one of the gunmen said holding a bag throwing Nick's phone inside the bag. "In the bag!" he yelled louder scaring the already scared people. Sara put her phone in the bag as did Morgan. Sara stared at Nick as he starts to move ever so slightly. She isn't sure what his level of consciousness was. The man tied the bag of phones and began to stomp on it.

The men huddled together as if preparing for a football play. Their harsh whispers were the only noise in the hostile bank room, except for the demands being made by SWAT. Everyone else was too scared to breathe to loud let alone say anything. Nick groaned as he started to stir waking up ever so slowly. One of the men grabbed him and slammed his barely conscious body against the wall as the rifleman, who Sara assumed was the leader, searched his pockets.

"You a cop?" the leader asked Nick. Nick wasn't lucid enough to even understand what he was asking. Nick blinked a few times hoping to capture his bearings. "Are you a cop?" he asked again and Nick finally was able to realize what is going on but didn't answer the man's question. The leader punched Nick right in the gut, hitting a tender spot left by _Mr. Clean. _Nick doubled over and fell on all fours, everyone gasps. Sara has to bite her tongue so that she doesn't put anyone else in danger. She wanted to help Nick more than anything but knew she had to come up with a plan.

"Yes…" Nick said raising his hand hoping not to get hit again. Nick felt someone grab him again but instead of getting slammed against the wall they pushed him into a chair that had a phone in front of it.

"Call your cop friends. See what they can do for us." The leader said, Nick opened his mouth to argue or at least talk sense into their head but was met by muzzle of the weapon that had already left him with a new bruise on his face and a headache.

"What do you want me to say?" Nick asked but the leader turned off the safety.

"You better say something or I'll drop you in front of everyone." The man said and Nick bit his tongue knowing that being a smartass wouldn't get him anywhere. He couldn't just think about himself in this situation. Nick used the bank phone and dialed the number to dispatch.

"Control, this is Charlie Oh Five Stokes I need you to put me through to Captain Brass." Nick said looking back up at the gun. Everyone waits in agonizing anticipation. "Hey Brass, all cleared to talk." Nick said meaning that it was clear to talk and that the phone wasn't on speaker.

"Hey Nicky, how are you guys holding up?" Brass asked relieved to hear someone's voice.

"We are alright."

"Is anyone hurt?"

"No, scared, but not hurt."

"How many hostages?"

"About fifteen give or take." Nick said seeing the gunmen getting further agitated and the people getting more scared.

"How many gun…" Brass started but the gunmen hung up the line and pushed the gun against Nick's head.

"What are you doing?" the leader asked.

"I have to give them something before they will give you anything." Nick said as the leader pushed the gun into his bruise on his forehead. Nick tried not to grow frustrated with the man but it was difficult.

"Bullshit, you probably talking in some code to tell them to come in here!" the leader yelled scaring everyone.

"I assure you no code exists." Nick said annoyed.

"Are you trying to be a smartass?!" the leader asked frustrated and annoyed as he hit the safety off on his weapon. Nick looked down defeated and finally listening to his subconscious to not try and test the gunmen.

"No…" Nick said softly.

Meanwhile… Brass paced around frustrated as he tried to call back but there was no answer. SWAT was using the very little information they got and tried to come up with plans for extraction. DB looked on at the bank and watched as Brass continued to pace around angry and antsy. DB tried to think of something to say to try and calm Brass' nerves or even his own but the feeling of utter helplessness was very abundant and felt by everyone even Greg and Finn as they watched from afar.

"Damn it…" Brass said as he paced around DB for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Jim, they will call back. They have too." DB said trying to keep an open mind.

"But what if they don't…" Jim said, as Captain Ostrander and another came up.

"Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to the head of security for the bank. Tell them what you told me." The captain instructed.

"Last summer, we had a string of robberies…" the man started but was interrupted by an angry Brass.

"Get to the point!" Brass said angry, DB tried to put a calming hand on Brass' shoulder but Brass was a seething bull.

"When the silent alarm is activated the surveillance cameras are activated wireless… even if the power is cut." The man said, and Captain Ostrander looked at the men with a new feeling hope and a plan starting to form in their heads.

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What do you think? Nick and Mandy are both in the same funk? Why? Will there plan work or will it hinder? Please Reivew!


	3. Forgive Me

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Thank you for all the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Ch3: Forgive Me

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Nick sits away from the group and stays at the desk that has the phone. The gunmen are off talking as they too try to make sense of all that has happened. Nick looks at Sara and they try to come up with their own plan but the distance and their inability to communicate with each other really prohibited that. Nick looked at Morgan and she looked as mentally broken as someone could be, Nick knew that she had to get out above all else or else she wouldn't make it.

They heard a phone buzzing from the bag. After a few buzzes it stopped only to start up again. The leader groaned as he motioned for one of his henchmen to find the problem and solve. The man untied the bag and began sifting through it to find the buzzing phone.

"Who's is this?" he asked holding up the phone. Sara looked at the phone as it _Mandy _in big letters and mobile in small letters underneath it. Sara looked at Morgan who shrugged. "Who's phone?"

"It's mine." Nick said with a mixed emotion on his face.

Meanwhile… DB was trying to listen to Greg and Finn talk as they tried to come up with ideas. He strongly discouraged them against watching the surveillance videos and they listened. However, he couldn't help but watch Mandy and Brass talk. DB hadn't had the slightest clue to why Mandy would even be here or why she was so upset. Brass motions for her to calm down and wait and walks over to DB.

"I gotta talk to you." Brass said waving for DB to follow him.

"Any news?" DB asked as he followed Brass back over to a distraught Mandy.

"You need to talk to Mandy." Brass said flatly as if he too didn't know what to say. DB looked confused at Brass but then turned his attention to Mandy. She had streaks of tears running down her face and her eyes were red from already crying as much as she had.

"Mandy, what is it? What do you have to say?" DB asked like a worried father.

"There's not enough time fro me to tell you everything I need." She cried as she tried to hold it together. He put his hand on her back and walked her inside the police commandeered pizza shop.

"What's wrong?" DB asked softly.

"Its Nick…" she said as she cried again.

_Earlier that day… Mandy had walked by the locker room catching a glimpse of a sad mopey man inside as he stared blankly at his locker. As much as Mandy wanted to ignore him and carry on about herself and her day she felt compelled to help him or at least talk to him. Mandy moved to sit next to him in the locker-room putting Finn's results aside. It never ceased to amaze Mandy the backlog of prints that were always waiting for her as well as how quickly grave were able to add to it._

"_You don't look good with a black eye…" she teased, Nick looked up chuckling a little. He nods smiling a little but the smile was gone when he looked over at her. Even if she hated him she was still gorgeous even now. The tension that fills the room is beyond bearable. They didn't know what to say to each other or what to do._

"_Mandy…" Nick choked out hoping that his emotions didn't get the best of him but seeing Mandy upset always put a strain on his heart._

"_I thought you quit." She said interrupting him. Nick released a deep sighed and looked away. Mandy was angry and Nick was helpless against her verbal assault, knowing that he deserved it and more but all he wanted was forgiveness._

"_I thought so too." Nick said scratching the back of his head as he gave a nervous chuckle. "But, you were right. I can't leave the team like that." Another awkward tension came about them as they didn't know what to do but feeling obligated to be around each other. Finn was looking for Nick but she spotted him in the locker-room but the tension kept her on the outside just watching whatever was going inside as it unfolded._

"_That's good to hear." Mandy said but it didn't have as much emotion or passion that it could've had. Nick had to resist the urge to just hold her and kiss her. He missed her more then he could have ever expressed to her._

"_Mandy…" Nick choked once again. He had to get this out even if it didn't make a difference, it would make a difference to him and put the ball in her court. "I'm really sorry about the other night. I love you, and I'm sorry." Nick said feeling his eyes start to well up with tears. He needed her but just couldn't find the words to tell her._

"_Ah… Nick, Sara is waiting for you in the garage." Finn said awkwardly as she felt like she was interrupting a special moment. Nick looked up at Finn briefly before smiling at Mandy a little before touching her hand._

"_I love you…" Nick whispered his accent thick as he wore his heart on his sleeve. He knew he messed up and couldn't blame Mandy for not be to willing to forgive him to quickly. He wiped his eyes before finally leaving wanting nothing more than to stay there with her._

"How long have you been seeing each other?" DB asked as Mandy wiped her eyes. Mandy stared at the bank as a tear flowed down her cheek.

"I don't know… a few months now. DB, that's not the point. You have to get them out." Mandy said as she wiped her eyes.

"We will do our best." DB said trying to keep her spirits up but the look she shot him almost sucked all the faith he had. Mandy wiped her hands on her pants looking at the bank as if it were grim reaper's house.

"DB, I can't lose him… I have a real bad feeling about this one." Mandy said her hands grew cold and the butterflies in her stomach turned to pterodactyls causing havoc on her digestive tract as did other things.

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I'm going to use these flashbacks to help you understand Nick and Mandy's relationship, and there happier times as well as there past. What did Nick do? Why are they fighting? Will the team be able to get them out alive? Please Review! More reviews and feedback mean quicker chapters ;)


	4. Guilt

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Thank you for the reviews!

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Ch4: Guilt

On the inside an hour later… besides for the feelings of fear and panic. The feeling of deadly boredom also came in waves. Nick still sat away from the group staring at the phone. He would look around every now and again, but there wasn't anything to see, except scared helpless eyes waiting for him to do something, the police barricade, or the hostile men that were hosting this show. No, the phone was going to be the ticket out.

As if on cue the phone rang. It had been so quiet for so long that the noise briefly startled everyone. Nick froze not wanting to make the gunmen think that he was telepathically calling the police. Nick didn't know what they were thinking and didn't want to further agitate anyone either. Nick knew he had to clear his head and think straight to survive this.

"Pick it up," the leader said lifting his gun aiming it at Nick. "Aye, no funny stuff." He said steadying his aim.

"This is Charlie Oh Five Stokes, all clear." Nick said his voice calm and not as collective as it could've been but it wasn't too far off either.

"Hey Nicky, how are you holding up?" Brass asked.

"I'm alright, we are all alright." Nick said ironically rubbing the newly formed bruise on his forehead. Nick scratched his head as he caught a glimpse of a certain brunette on the outside. He felt his heart somersault in his chest as all the breath in his lungs felt like it got sucked out.

"We are working to get you guys some food. We have pizza, we would like to give it to you?" Brass asked.

"They have pizza for us." Nick said looking at the gunmen. He can't read there expressions because their faces are covered but he studied there body language. Nick couldn't read the leader too well, but one of the men who were holding a glock looked like a nervous wreck, while the man with a snub nose revolver obviously didn't think that it was a good idea while the leader debated it.

"Sure, I'm hungry." the leader asked.

"Are you serious?" snub nose said angry. "This could be a trap."

"You'll use him as a shield. They won't shoot one of their own." The leader said, looking at his friend before looking at Nick. "Tell them we need at least five pizzas." The leader said.

"We need at least five pies, Jim." Nick said.

"Be ready in five minutes," Jim said releasing a deep breath. "And, Nick?"

"Yeah?" Nick asked.

"We are cutting the lights after the exchange." Brass said hanging up.

"They are going to have the food ready in five minutes." Nick said looking up at the gunmen.

"Okay… put your hands on your head." The leader said and Nick reluctantly followed the order. Nick felt the leader pull him by the back of his shirt collar, forcing Nick on his feet.

* * *

Brass walks slowly towards the hostile bank. He feels the heat from the sun pounding away at him as well as the smoldering heat from the pizzas. Brass felt a bead of sweat making its daring trip from his forehead down his tense face. His bulletproof vest was very tight only adding to his already hot body temperature. Once he got closer to the bank the doors opened but he saw nothing until snub nose came out using Nick as a human shield with an arm around Nick's neck for reassurance as well as his weapon placed firmly against Nick's already bruise head.

Nick struggled to grab the pizzas compensating for with the shorter man's arm around his neck. Nick nodded but before they could say anything or Brass was able to size anything up. The gunman pulled Nick back inside. Nick stumbled but remained on his feet as he was pulled backwards. The leader took all the pies and snub nose pushed Nick on the ground. Nick fell right in front of Sara as she still covered Morgan. Nick looked up at Sara as he lay on his stomach.

"Pass them out." The leader said dropping three of the pizza boxes in front of Nick. The other gunmen went to a table and started to hammer away at the two pies they had taken. Nick dusted himself off as he started handing out the pizza to the other frightened people. Sara joined Nick and started passing out the pizza.

"Here, Morgan. Take this," Sara said practically forcing a piece of pizza in her hand. Morgan just looked down at her hand as she looked down at her piece of pizza. Her emotional state was numbingly damaged as her guard was around her. Morgan wanted to help Nick and Sara as she watched them trying to formulate a plan but Morgan didn't know what to say and was afraid if she opened her mouth that the only thing that would come out would be tears.

"As long as they think your civilians you can get out…" Nick whispered as he passed out the remaining slices.

"Nick, we're not leaving without you." Sara whispered shocked looking at Nick making sure that he was sure of his words and that the gunmen didn't hear her.

"We gotta get Morgan outta here." Nick said looking up at Morgan as she looked at her piece of pizza emotionless.

"We are really supposed to eat the pizza?" an elderly man asked Nick touching his arm.

"Only if you're hungry, sir." Nick said confused as he looked at the elderly man.

"it's not laced with sleeping pills, or a hypnotic serum to make us sleepy so that the gunmen get disoriented and SWAT can come busting in?" the man asked getting the attention of the other hostages. Nick and Sara looked at the man with the look _are-you-serious?_

"No, you all watch too many movies. We…" Nick said but was interrupted by the lights turning off and the AC going to a grumbling halt.

"What the heck?!" the leader yelled seeing that the lights were caught off. He threw his crust off to the side and frantically walked over to Nick grabbing him by the back of his collar throwing him on the ground violently

On the outside… Mandy watches the bank from inside the pizza shop she can't bring herself to watch the live feed on the TV. She follows a rain drop down the window as she listens to the pitter-patter against the glass of the large window with a cheesy Italian man holding a pizza. Mandy scratched the back of her head as she ran her hands through her hair. She wiped her eyes, she tried not to cry but the tears overflowed her already red eyes. She had a bad feeling about this and she couldn't shake it.

"How are you holding up?" DB asked her resting against the booth.

"I'm worried…" Mandy said wiping her eyes again before turning around to sit down in the booth. She looked at her phone almost hoping to see a message from Nick but all she saw was a picture of the two of them together at a happier time.

"With what you said earlier… what happened with you guys? Why are you guys fighting?" DB asked.

"We won't be once he comes out, I'll apologize. DB, all I want is for him to come out so I can hug him and apologize for being so stubborn with him. I was so stubborn…" Mandy said getting visibly upset again. "I was so pissed at him! I feel so bad… I just need him here." Mandy said wiping her eyes. DB sat across from her and placed a hand over hers.

"Mandy…" DB said trying to calm to the worried tech.

"DB, what if he doesn't come out? I can't lose him…" Mandy said burying her head in her hands.

"Hey, hey now, you can't think about that. You have to stay strong." DB said like a caring father figure.

"These last few days have been really tough, DB." Mandy cries.

"What happened?" DB asked again.

_A few days earlier… Mandy rolled over in the bed her and Nick shared. She was alone, and she missed him. Nick had texted her earlier and said that he would be late. Mandy had gone home early because she hadn't felt well. Mandy rolled over again and grabbed Nick's pillow and pulled it under her head. Nick would often come home and tease Mandy about being a bed hog or always being on his side of the bed. Mandy would only do this when she missed him because his pillow especially smelt like him._

_However just as she is about to slip into deep sleep she heard something from the kitchen. She peeked her head up and didn't hear anything and saw no lights come on so she preceded to get comfortable again thinking that the house was just trying to settle in. she pulled the blanket up and got comfortable. She heard the noise again and this time it was louder, it sounded like someone was rifling through her fridge. This time she shoots her head up and immediately feels fear stricken, someone was in the house. She heard it again and knew it couldn't be Nick because no lights were on he didn't come in to give her a kiss to let her know he was home. Her Nick wasn't in the house. She sat up in the bed looking for anything to protect herself with she grabbed an old baseball from under the bed and begun to text Nick as she slowly and carefully made the long frightful walk to the kitchen but just as she got close she heard Nick's phone beep._

"_Nick?" Mandy said upset and relieved. Nick sprang his head from the fridge and Mandy could tell he was drunk, she could see it in his face. That and the fact that he smelt like a brewery. Nick brought his beer to his lips and took a long swig._

"_What?" Nick slurred._

"_What are you doing?" Mandy said looking at him confused and angry._

"_Its… it's not like you're going drink 'em…" Nick slurred looking at her as if she was dumb. But before Mandy could say anything Nick pulled her into a rough kiss, Mandy pulls away._

"_You smell like a brewery…" Mandy said, Nick moved to kiss her again but Mandy put her hands on his chest and tries to push him away, she is unable to push him away but is able to keep him at bay. "I thought you were at work?" Mandy asked as his alcohol scent burned away at her nostrils. She had to fight the urge to vomit as her stomach had been quiet easy to upset these last few weeks._

"_I quit…" Nick said stepping away to drink his beer._

"_No, you didn't…" Mandy said thinking that Nick was joking that he was maybe just really upset or thinking it was just a sick joke. Nick chuckled at her remark as he braced himself against the counter as he looked down at his beer. Mandy realized that he was serious and was immediately taken back and shell shocked. "Why?" Mandy asked and Nick immediately gets very angry, angrier then she had ever seen him. "Why?" Mandy asked again more forceful._

"_Don't worry about it…" Nick mumbled not able to make eye contact with her._

"_Why, Nick?" Mandy said forcing him to face her. He couldn't make such an impulsive decision that would affect both of them without talking to her or at least giving her a real reason._

"_You don't know what it's like?! You stay in your stupid lab all day! You don't know the dangers and the corruption that I have to face day in and day out!" Nick yelled angry. Mandy felt like she had to defend herself._

"_Oh, so you're going to have a pity party for yourself?! Don't throw it all in my face, you know I worry about your everyday." She said upset._

"_Well, you don't have to anymore." Nick said clenching his jaw shut fearing his anger would boil over. He thought once he quit he'd feel better but he was having the exact opposite feelings._

"_Don't do that!" Mandy said upset._

"_Don't do what?!" Nick yelled, Mandy flinched and took a couple steps back away from. Nick shook his head angry he didn't mean to scare her because he loved her but he was so angry. Nick yelled as he through his beer hitting a picture frame._

"_Get out!" Mandy said pushing him. Nick growled angry unsure what to do as she pushed him again. "Get out! I never want to see you again!" Mandy said through tears as she pushed him again. Nick turned and left slamming the door hard. Mandy slid down against the wall as she cried. She hears Nick drive off and runs after him knowing that he was too drunk to drive. _

_Mandy goes back inside feeling scared for Nick and nervous and that's when she sees the picture frame that the beer bottle had broke. She picks it up as the broken glass falls on the floor at her feet. It was a picture of her and Nick where Nick has his eyes cross and his tongue out as Mandy smiled nice. Mandy felt her heart flutter before it felt like it broke._

"I tried to call him but he didn't want to talk to me… I was almost glad he didn't answer because I knew we would just fight again." Mandy said wiping her eyes. "I was so mad at him but I've missed him so much. I'm not mad at him, I just wish he'd let me help him and not put up a guard. I love him with everything I got but to see him like that scared me for him… we really haven't seen each other since all the drama with McKeen died down…" Mandy said upset wiping her eyes.

"Where have you been staying?" DB asked again like a worried father, he was assuming that they live together based on all the pronouns she used.

"With my mom… I told Nick once all his bruises healed that we could talk." Mandy said feeling an overwhelming feeling of guilt.

* * *

Poor Nick and Mandy! Does time and love heal all wounds? What do you think so far? What do you think about their fight? Can you blame Mandy? Please Review!


	5. Making Way

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Thank you for all the reviews!

Ch5: Making Way

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"Tell them to put the power back on!" the leader said aiming the gun at Nick as he tried to recover from the kicks to the ribs and stomach that they had just laid on him.

"They will… want some hostages…" Nick coughed as he covered his midsection fearing a further assault.

"Just call them!" he said as he and the men with the glock picked Nick up pushing him in the chair in front of the phone. Nick struggles to sit up as he grabs the phone. He doesn't want to look up fearing he would see Mandy. He didn't want her to see him like this, he didn't want her to worry, he didn't want to cause any more stress for her.

"Charlie Oh Five Stokes, all clear…" Nick said as he moved to get comfortable, however getting comfortable while someone aimed a gun at you was something Nick hoped to never master.

"Hey Nicky, how are you doing?" Brass said hearing the pain in Nick's voice.

"I need you to turn the power on, Jim." Nick said hearing Brass talk to someone in the background.

"Give us five hostages and we will put the power back on." Brass said as Nick wiped the sweat from his forehead. Even though the sun started to just go down her heat was still felt. Nick hung the phone.

"What'd they say?" snub nose said, he had been growing more and more worried as the events unfolded more.

"Five hostages and they will put the power back on." Nick said, the leader growled.

"How about I kill five instead?" he said waving his gun at everyone. Nick sprang from his seat fearing that the leader would shout but Glock pushed him back down into his chair. "Easy Lawman. Maybe I'll just kill you instead?"

"You fire your gun once and SWAT will come busting in here and light the place up whether you shoot me or them. You don't need them you have me, SWAT wont risk anything as long as I'm in here." Nick pleaded.

"Don't worry CSI guy, you're not going anywhere." The leader said and Nick knew that he was smiling underneath his ski mask. He tapped his friend, snub nose. "Pick five." He instructed but his friend shook his head no, the leader groaned in disapproval and motioned for the other to do it.

"You take your kids." He said to a woman and her two kids and then to another woman and her toddler son. "You too." He motioned with his gun. The women stood shielding their children as they slowly made their way to the door before taking off. Nick releases a deep sigh as the tense situation is over. He hopes to convince the men to let everyone go in hopes of a lesser sentence.

"How you guys' want this to end? Do you want your parents or loved ones to see you get hurt by the police or to see you in a prison cell for the rest of your life… or dead?" Nick asked getting the attention of the men. "You gave some hostages away; maybe the DA will take it easy on you. It's not like it is in the movies, they're not going to get you a helicopter or anything like that…"

"I can't do this! You said it was just going to be a quick bank robbery in and out!" snub nose said getting angry as he crumbled under the pressure. "I told you I didn't want to hurt anyone and I'm certainly not going to spend the rest of my life in jail, for a stupid idea that wasn't even mine!" snub nose yelled as he took off his ski mask and turned his gun to put it in a nonthreatening hold.

On the outside everyone looked up with hopeful eyes but soon was confused when they saw a man toss a handgun out and then a ski mask. Snub nose walked out slowly with his hands on his head. Everyone watched on as SWAT ordered the man to come forward slowly and out of sight of the bank's front entrance. Once close enough SWAT grabbed the man and whisked him away.

"How many do you think are in there now?" Greg asked DB as he continued to watch the bank.

"There's gotta be at least two gunmen left. Who knows how many hostages, though?" DB said taking off his glasses rubbing his eyes. "I've been trying to get a hold of Sara's husband… Grissom? I can't get a hold of him at any of the numbers that are listed as her next of kin."

"He's probably somewhere in South America or something. He's a forensic consultant that is always out on loan. Leave him a message." Greg said hoping he had more to offer.

"I've called Ecklie." DB said putting his glasses back on. The standoff was just about reaching its fourth hour and DB was making the difficult decision of trying to contact next of kin. In order to brace the family or friends in case anything went wrong… more than it already had.

"What about Nick's next of kin?" Finn asked as she looked back at a saddened Mandy.

"You are looking at her. He also had his mother listed, I gave her a call she wasn't home so I left her a message." DB said sighing.

"Nick's father passed away last year…" Greg said quietly remembering when Nick got the news. It was a tough day but Nick handled it about as well as it was expected. Finn sighed as she went to sit across from Mandy as she looked through her phone.

Mandy went back in fourth from looking at the photos of her and Nick together and following rain drops down the window. These four hours felt like forty hours and all Mandy wanted was for Nick to wake her up that she was having a terrible nightmare. But the painful reality was that it wasn't true.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" Finn asked, Mandy wiped her eyes and looked up at Finn as she shrugged her shoulders. Usually Mandy could keep her emotions in check and wasn't usually a negative Nelly like this but her hormones were out of control and she felt like a weepy mess. "Do you want me to bring you to the lab? Or…" Finn said but Mandy interrupted her.

"I'm not leaving here without him." Mandy said taking a deep breath.

"What is this of?" Finn asked seeing the photo lit up on Mandy's phone.

"We went to the I Heart Music Festival for my birthday." Mandy said smiling.

"You guys look happy?" Finn said taking a better look at the photo. They both were smiling and very dirty it looked like were covered in mud.

"It started to rain a little and it just got very muddy. There was a mud fight." Mandy said chuckling.

_Nick and Mandy sprinted back to Nick's truck. The rain had picked up some more as well and the ground became softer under their feet. Nick had a tight grip on Mandy's hand as they ran laughing. Nick unlocked his truck and helped Mandy climb inside before running over to his door nearly falling in the process._

"_Easy there…" Mandy said fighting giggles as Nick hopped in the driver seat._

"_Did you have a good time? It wasn't too much?" Nick chuckled as he pulled out of his parking spot._

"_No, I had a great time. Thank you." Mandy smiles at him as he leans over to kiss her._

"_I had a good time too." Nick smiles hearing the car behind him beep its horn. Nick waved the man as he started to drive._

"_You better pay attention." Mandy teased as she held Nick's hand. Mandy got comfortable in her seat and drifted off to sleep. Mandy dreams of the life her and Nick would share. Whether it's the house they have, the 2.5 kids they will have, the PTA meetings they will have to sit through, the pets they will have, or the cars, she sees herself happy. Her feelings blessed to have Nick in her life, he's her best friend, her lover, the one she trusts the most, the one she admires and the one loves with all her heart._

"_Babe… Mandy… we are home." Nick said as he gently shook her awake. She looked up at him and smiled. "We are home." He said softly. She was a sucker for that accent, that sexy southern twang. Nick helped her out of the truck and once on the porch he begun to strip down._

"_What are you doing?" Mandy asked as she stretched her tired muscles as she walked on the porch._

"_I don't want to track mud throughout the house." Nick said throwing his shirt on the rail as he tried to kick off his boots. He began to work on his belt as he saw Mandy still look at him with crazy eyes. "Oh, right. I'll cover you." Nick said as he stood to block her from any wandering eyes. Mandy began to follow suit as she struggled to get her shirt off Nick was eager to help her. She saw that he was only in a pair of black boxers. Once she disrobed her pants, Nick scooped her up. Nick kissed her as he walked to the shower._

"Mandy, I don't mean to cut you off but you don't have to go into detail I think I get the picture." Finn chuckled as Mandy blushed.

"Sorry, about that Finn." Mandy chuckled.

_Mandy wakes up cuddled against Nick's chest listening to his heart beat and him breath. She was grateful that Nick did not snore too much. She hears his phone ringing as he starts to wake up._

"_Mornin' darlin'…" Nick said in a sleepy voice. Mandy smiles at him as he reaches grabbing his phone. Mandy props herself up on her elbow as Nick uses his free hand to rub her back. "Text me the address?" Nick said yawning as he hung up._

"_Do you have to go?" Mandy said looking down almost pouting. Nick always got called in earlier. Nick nods but lying on top of her hugging her tight kissing her on her cheek. Mandy couldn't help but laugh. "Ok, nick…" she giggled._

"_I'll see you in a few hours." Nick said smiling. Mandy smiled and nodded._

"_See you soon."_

On the inside… the balance of power had swayed a little inside and Nick as well as the leader felt it. The bank room was very tense almost like a stick of dynamite waiting to be lit. Nick fought with himself on what to do, he tried to keep a level head but he had a lot going through it.

"Let these people go, please." Nick said almost sounding defeated rather than inspirational as he had hoped.

"They are my ticket out!" The leader yelled, earning a strange look from his friend Glock.

"What do you mean **my?**" Glock asked.

"I meant ours!" the leader replied angry. Nick slowly stood up his hands raised showing he wasn't a threat.

"I am… that's why they haven't tried to come in here already. There are no kids in here, which is the only other thing that would have slowed their efforts. You don't need these people." Nick said not yelling but keeping his voice strong.

"Shut up! Shut up!" the leader yelled angry.

"I'm trying to help you!" Nick argued back.

"You're about to help yourself to a bullet!" the leader said aiming his gun at Nick. Nick swallowed hard hoping he didn't mess up.

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What did you think of the flashback? Will they be getting out soon? I see the hostage situation ending soon... Happy endings or not so happy? What do you think so far? I have dropped so clues that will lead to another bombshell, let me know if your getting them lol. Please Review!


	6. Selfless

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Thank you for the reviews!

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Ch6: Selfless

On the outside, 6 hours later... DB and Brass join Captain Ostrander and some of the other SWAT leaders, and the sheriff. Ostrander said he had a plan. DB thought that after six hours he most certainly better have a plan. While Brass walked around like a bull ready to charge.

"Based on the statements we have gathered from the other gunmen and the hostages that were released. This is what I've got…" Ostrander started but DB looked up and saw the many monitors showing what was going on in the bank. DB had told his guys not to watch but DB couldn't look any it was a bad car accident. "I'm going to have my entry team sit up in front of the building underneath the windows, while the second entry team covers the rear. They will break the windows and toss in flash bangs and the poor SOBs won't know what hit them."

"But that will only work if everyone is in the main room and on the video we can't even see the gunmen. You will put your men at risk with this plan as well as my guys. No." DB said pulling his attention away from the monitors.

"As much as I want to disagree with you, DB. I have to agree. This plan isn't going to work. It's a no-go." The sheriff said wiping her mouth.

"After all this time this is what you come up with?" Brass said upset. Ostrander looked displeased.

"Bring me something better." The sheriff asked.

"Uh guys…" DB said walking closer to the monitors. "Something is happening…" DB said pointing to the monitor.

Meanwhile on the inside… the tension had died down a little from earlier and Nick looked over and heard strange noises coming from the elderly man that had earlier thought that the pizza was laced. The man was sweating profusely all of the sudden. Sara moved closer to the man in efforts to try and figure out what was going on. Then he falls unconscious.

"Uh… Nick, he's not breathing." Sara says checking for a pulse. Nick immediately rushes over and starts compressions. Sara finds a medical alert bracelet. _This person has a HEART CONDITION. See wallet for more information._ Sara starts giving the man rescue breaths. Soon the duo finds a nice rhythm.

"If this man dies, you will go to jail for murder." Nick says breathless as he works on compressions.

"You're lying." The leader accused getting worried.

"No, if someone dies in the course of a felony its felony murder. Regardless if you shoot them." Nick said as Sara gave the breaths. The leader peeks his head up and Glock whispers something in his ear. The leader's eyes become enraged as he pulls Sara away by her hair.

"Are you a cop?!" the leader asks Sara, as the phone starts to ring. A woman comes over and helps Nick with CPR. Nick looks at the phone and Glock moves aiming the gun at all of them.

"Don't answer it!" Glock yelled.

"This man needs medical attention. If I don't tell them something, they are going to come in. Two guns against fifty are bad odds." Nick said as his arms started to shake from fatigue. Glock grabbed Nick by the back of his shirt and forced him to the seat.

"Charlie oh five Stokes, have EMS on standby. Two hostages are going out one is in need of medical attention." Nick said as Glock hung up the phone.

"Get out!" he yelled the woman struggled to carry the man out but once she got out SWAT came and whisked them both away.

"Are you a cop?!" the leader asks Sara as he forces her on her knees with his hand still tightly holding her hair. Nick sprang from his seat trying to get to Sara's aid but was meant by the muzzle of the glock aimed him again.

"Is she a cop?" glock asks, Nick remains quiets. The man winds up as if to hit Nick with his gun. Nick braces for the impact.

"I am! I'm a cop." Sara yells out in hopes of saving Nick from being hit again.

On the outside… Mandy was watching the monitors. She had to see for herself what was going on, but once she saw she couldn't look away. She knew she shouldn't see Nick like this but she also felt compelled to keep watching, fearing something would happen if she looked away. It wasn't until she heard Greg calling for her did she realize that she was crying.

"Mandy, you shouldn't be in here." Greg said escorting her out as he did his best to console her.

"How come you aren't worried?" Mandy asked pulling away wiping her sore eyes.

"What?" Greg asked not sure if he should be offended or how to react.

"We saw you at the music festival." Mandy said and Greg's façade came crumbling down as he felt a rush of tears threaten to spill from his eyes.

"_But do not ask the price I paid, I must live with my quiet rage, tame the ghosts in my head, that run wild and wish me dead. Should you shake my ash to the wind. Lord, forget all of my sins. Or let me die where I lie 'Neath the curse of my lover's eyes." The band played as Mandy and other members of the crowd sang their hearts out. Nick smiled as he put his arms around Mandy hugging her. "And I'll walk slow, I'll walk slow. Take my hand, help me on my way. And I'll walk slow, I'll walk slow. Take my hand, I'll be on my way." As the song wrapped up. Mandy held Nick rocking back and forth enjoying the music._

"_All my practice singing in the shower has paid off." Mandy said in Nick's ear. Nick laughed as he wrapped his arms around her as they watched the band. Mandy's new obsession was this London folk band Mumford & Sons, and the fact that they played the banjo always made Nick remember of home. Nick wasn't the biggest music guy but he enjoyed them._

"_I think so…" Nick chuckled, squeezing her close kissing her cheek._

"_Nick…" Mandy said looking through the crowd seeing a familiar face, and then seeing more. Nick looked at her as Mandy took his hand moving to hide behind a vendor's booth. Nick was very confused as he swayed to the music of the next song._

"_You saw my pain washed out in the rain. Broken glass, saw the blood run from my veins. But you saw no fault, no cracks in my heart, and you knelt beside my hope torn apart…" the band started to sing._

"_Is that Greg and Morgan?" Mandy asked smiling pointing to the crowd. Nick looked and saw them dancing together._

"_It is… you're right." Nick chuckled._

"We were there. Great show." Greg smiled, Greg rubbed his eyes and released a deep sigh. "We have to stay calm. Nick and Sara have been in worst situations than this. The best people to handle this are in there." Greg said trying desperately to convince Mandy.

"Okay…" Mandy said looking at the bank.

On the inside… they push Sara towards Nick and he catches her and immediately shields her holding his hands up in surrender. They had plan stuck in this bank for a lot longer than he had originally planned for, and every idea he had come up with had been shot down. Now, they stood at gunpoint again and while the gunmen had the upper hand, but as Nick came to think of it they always had the upper hand.

"Is there any more cops here?" the leader asked them angry while the other walked around, intimidating the hostages.

"No!" Nick said authoritative. Morgan looks at Nick worried, Nick looked at her briefly as if begging her to stay put and stay quiet.

"We came here on our break. I needed a new debit card." Sara lies. "Two cops are better than one."

"Let these people go." Nick begged again.

"Fine, they can go. But you two have to stay." The leader said pushing Nick into the seat so he would talk on the phone.

"Tell your friends that they are coming out so that they don't get hurt." Glock said quietly as if he too was having a change of heart.

"Charlie Oh Five Stokes, all cleared."

"Hey Nicky, how are you holding up?" Brass asked.

"Jim, the hostages are coming out..." Nick said as the man with the glock practically pushing and throwing everyone out. The leader hung up the phone.

"That's enough." The leader said coldly.

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The two songs were Lovers' Eyes and Ghosts That We Knew by Mumford & Sons. The hostages are out but Nick and Sara are still inside. If you were them, how would you feel? if you were on the outside looking in, how would you feel? What if you were Morgan? What do you think? Please Review!


	7. Plan

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Thank you for all the reviews!

Ch7: Plan

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On the outside… Mandy watches relieved seeing everyone running out. She sees Morgan run out and run right to Greg's arms. She looks on hoping to have a similar reunion. She already ran through what she was going to say and how she never wanted to let him go once she had her arms around him, but those plans soon came to a screeching halt when she didn't see him come out.

"Where… where's Nick? Or Sara?" Mandy asked DB, feeling a new sense of fear and disappointment. DB looked on just as confused as Mandy, but then soon took off in a fiery walk to look at the monitors.

"I… I think they are arguing…" DB said even more confused than before.

"Its gotta be part of their plan… has to be…" Mandy said trying to convince not only DB but mainly herself.

On the inside… the leader was growing frustrated with Nick and Sara as they argued senselessly. He felt as if he was losing control of the situation while his friend had already thought the control was gone and now this was a ticking time bomb.

"Shut up!" Nick said to Sara. Whether it was their plan or not it was believable, and there emotion towards each other was certainly genuine. However Nick's unwillingness to argue only fueled Sara's.

"No, you shut up! Why didn't you just quit like you said you were going to?!" Sara yelled back.

"Why am I getting so much grief about that, when you quit?! I didn't throw it in your face when you came back! So why are you doing it to me?!" Nick asked hurt but still angry.

"It's different…"

"How?!" Nick exclaimed.

"Shut up!" the leader yelled but he was ignored.

"You're not suppose to quit, you keep the team together, you're the one who keeps us all sane." Sara said softer hoping that her change in tone would really get her friend's attention that her action was genuine.

"That's a lot of pressure." Nick said scratching the back of his head.

"Then why come back at all?" Sara asked not as frustrated but her voice to reflect her mood.

"Mandy…" Nick said meeting Sara's attitude.

_During McKeen's chaos… Nick had watched Mandy process the car now for about eleven minutes. He'd been keeping track for some unknown reason. With everything going on at the lab it was all hands on deck. He wasn't surprise to see Mandy at the lab, even though she hadn't felt well. With everything going on at the lab, Nick didn't care as selfish as that sounded with his boss' granddaughter kidnapped, and his boss' boss fighting for his life. Of course that stuff was important but Nick was looking at Mandy and she was his life._

"_Do you need any help?" Nick asked, he was so nervous that he thought he was just going to throw up. It was like asking a girl out before the big dance in junior high._

"_No." Mandy replied short and sweet as she slammed the trunk shut moving to the back seat. However she caught a glimpse of his face, she hadn't seen him in hours or had talked to him. She had ignored his calls but now he stood in front of her and his beautiful face bruised and beaten. "What happened to your face?" Mandy asked her voice echoing disappointment. She had an idea of what happened just based on how Nick was acting in front of her she could only imagine what he was like when he was away._

"_I don't listen…" Nick said touching the back of his head ashamed._

"_This isn't you, Nick." Mandy said disappointed. Nick remained speechless and just looked at the ground ashamed. "You're being sucked up in this evil and chaos instead of fighting and overcoming it."_

"_It's not that easy, Mandy." Nick tried to defend but Mandy looked at him not believing anything he said._

"_Since when do you quit because something isn't easy? That's not the man I fell in love with." Mandy said wiping her eyes hoping her emotions didn't get the best of her in front of him. She went to turn and leave but Nick grabbed her arm lightly but just enough to stop her._

"_Mandy…" Nick whispered, Mandy pulled her arm away and looked at him as a tear fell from her eyes._

"_Talk to me when your bruises heal." She said strong and leaving. Nick felt his heart break seeing Mandy upset but to know that he was the cause of it only hurt more._

"It wasn't my time to go." Nick said wiping his eyes. "We need stability right now. I can't be acting all crazy and impulsive. She's…" Nick said but was interrupted by the leader slamming the butt of his gun on the table to get their attention. Sara looks at Nick eager to find out what he was going to say but he just sat there looking defeated.

"Shut up! You guys are killing me, shut up!" the leader said slamming the phone in front of Nick. "Call your friends, tell them to get us a car to bring us across the…"

"No…" Nick says defeated pushing the phone out of the way. The leader's total disposition changed as his friend had also seemed to give up his hopes. The leader became angry.

"What? What do you mean no?" the leader yelled angry. His friend came over and pulled him away.

"Dude, maybe we should just give up. This isn't going anywhere!" Glock yelled upset as panic truly started to set in. "I have backed you up this whole time but this isn't going to end well unless we give up soon. I don't want to die."

"I'm not going to jail…" the leader said as he turned back to Nick and Sara at the table. "Stand up… Stand up!" he shouted. Sara stood up and Nick went to but he stepped on his boot lace stopping him.

"No!" Glock yelled as he tries to take away the rifle. The men wrestle for control of the gun.

Sara watches scared that if she did take off running that the men would turn on her and then finish off Nick. Nick debated whether to take Sara and run or to grab the phone and call SWAT. Nick assumed that they were watching though, they had to be. They seemed to call every time the moment was right but they hadn't called yet. Nick didn't want to lose sight of the gun but he couldn't leave Sara standing like there shell shocked like that. The tip of the rifle peeks out showing its ugly head, and it was pointing at them.

"Sar…" Nick says standing up, planning on grabbing her hand and making a run for it, however the gun went off causing his plan to come to a halt.

The gunmen freeze, Sara looks and feels relieved but as she goes to release a deep sigh she feels a terrible agonizing pain from her ribs. She immediately puts her hand on the tender spot as her legs give out causing her to fall on her butt. She sees blood in her hand, she looks up in disbelief.

"Oh my god…" she said her voice shaking. She looks up and sees Nick stagger as he crumbles down as a red spot starts forming on the back of his gray shirt. "Nick!" Sara yells the best she could. The room begins to fill with smoke grenades as SWAT comes in. "Nick…" Sara says as she moves to get closer to him, his face emotionless as he stared blankly at the ceiling. "Nick… stay with me. Focus on me." She said while trying to keep herself conscious, she shook his face as a SWAT officer applied pressure to his wound.

"We need the medics!" the officer yelled.

"Nick, please hang on…" Sara begged as she started to feel lightheaded. She looked at Nick's face as a lonely tear fell from his eye.

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Ah! Cliffhanger! There was alot going on in this chapter. What did you think of Nick's flashback and revelation? If you were on the outside looking in how would you feel and what would you think especially now? Will Nick and Sara be alright? Please Review! Tell me what you think!


	8. Helpless

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Thank you all for reviewing! Hang on this is going to be a bumpy ride.

Ch8: Helpless

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Mandy wipes her eyes as she touches her stomach through her black dress. She looks at this container as it carries the man that she loves. She places a rose in front of his picture. She loved this photo, probably because she's the one who took it. She had finally gotten a good photo of him, while he never took a bad one but he wasn't making a face except for that handsome smile he was always ready to flash. She couldn't believe this was happening and as much as she wanted to ignore it and pretend it didn't, hearing Mrs. Stokes breakdown into sobs brought her to this dark reality that she was dreading. An empty house, one less placemat set, the bed bigger and lonelier. The pastor takes the container and hands it to Mandy, she sobs but graciously takes it. She read the scripture on it as tears fell freely from her eyes.

_Nicholas Parker Stokes, March 5,1969 ~ October 3, 2012,_

_But do not ask the price I paid,  
I must live with my quiet rage,  
Tame the ghosts in my head,  
That run wild and wish me dead.  
Should you shake my ash to the wind  
Lord, forget all of my sins  
Oh, let me die where I lie  
'Neath the curse of my lover's eyes._

"Mandy? Mandy, we are here at the hospital come on." DB said pulling Mandy from her daydream nightmare. Mandy wiped her eyes and chased DB inside of the hospital. Mandy ran right past the nurses as they tried to keep her back as Nick and Sara was being already whisked away.

"ma'am, you can't be back here." The nurse said trying to stop Mandy but Mandy was a lot tougher and ran to Nick's stretcher. She grabbed his hand. The medics shouted grim news back and forth to each other as they tried to work on Nick as doctors and nurses made their way over to help.

"Nick…" Mandy whispered holding his cold hand. He continued to stare at the ceiling. A tube hung from his agape mouth, his chest bare and exposed with a series of blood soaked bandages covering his midsection, he wasn't breathing… or at least on his own he wasn't. "I need you to pull through for me, alright? I'm sorry and I love you so much. Please be alright. I love you…" Mandy whispered as she cried. DB grabbed her so that they could get to the emergency OR. Mandy gave Nick's hand a squeeze and felt a small almost childlike squeeze back before he was pushed away in the OR.

"Come on, Mandy. Let's take a seat." DB asked practically holding up Mandy as he held her shoulders as they returned to the waiting room. He seated her down as she broke down into sobs.

"Grissom?" Greg said more surprised than he ever felt before as he looked at his former boss standing there shocked. Grissom wore a loose worn white button up and a pair of work pants that had mud on it.

"Where is she?" Grissom said as he swallowed hard. He scanned the room growing nervous when he didn't see her and that he saw Mandy distraught. DB motioned for Finn to come sit with Mandy so he could talk with Grissom.

"Mr. Grissom…" DB started but was interrupted by Grissom.

"Where is she?" Grissom asked again.

"In surgery… She's been shot." DB said deciding that sugarcoating it wouldn't be the best bet because there wasn't anything to sugarcoat. His wife was shot, and DB didn't know what else to say.

"Oh my…" Grissom said finding a seat and slowly sitting in it as his mind began race. Just as DB went to sit with him he felt his phone start to vibrate, he checked his caller id it was Mrs. Jillian Stokes. DB rubbed his forehead and left to answer his phone.

"Hello, Mrs. Stokes, this is DB Russell supervisor at the LVPD crime…"

"What happened to my son?" she said cutting him off.

"He's been shot, ma'am." DB said, he could feel her pain through the phone as he heard her gasp.

"Oh my… is he?" she couldn't bring herself to ask the question.

"He is in surgery now." DB said so she didn't have to say the words.

"Listen, I'm on my way to the airport now. I'll be there as soon as I can. How's Mandy holding up?" she asked, DB looked back at Mandy seeing her just as distraught as before.

Greg and Morgan walk by DB seeing him making another difficult phone call. Greg by no means envied his boss especially now. He didn't envy anyone in this situation. People who he thought of as family now fought for their lives, and the ripples of that were felt by everyone but hit Greg especially hard too. Nick and Sara were there from the beginning with Greg, and as the lab changed its lineup, the trifecta or three amigos as Greg liked to call it were as strong as ever.

Greg and Morgan had decided to go and get some coffee and food for Mandy and Grissom, in efforts to try to ignore the overwhelming feeling of helpless. Greg slapped the vending machine as it refused to surrender the snacks. Greg looked up at Morgan she still looked just broken. Morgan was checked out by the doctors and physically she was alright but only she could speak to her mental status and the fact that she stayed quiet spoke loud enough.

"Come here." Greg says pulling her into a powerful hug. She cried into his shoulder trying to release all the demons and guilt she had inside her soul. She had survived two close calls in a short amount of time but the people she had been with hadn't been so lucky. She didn't know if she could live with herself if they had died trying to protect her.

"Greg…" she sobbed, Greg shushed her and brushed the hair out of her face as he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I'm happy that you are alright." Greg whispered in her ear as he felt a tear fall from his eye. He knew that is sounded maybe selfish but he didn't know if he could be as strong as Grissom and Mandy, and him and Morgan hadn't even been dating that long. He couldn't imagine what they were going through nor did he want to.

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What did you think of the curveball I threw to you? I know it was evil but I couldn't help myself. What did you think of this chapter? Grissom returned! Please Reviews!


	9. Lazy Love

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Thank you for all the reviews! I apologize for the mean curveball last time I just couldn't help myself, no more I promise. Enjoy!

Ch9: Lazy Love

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Sara slowly stirs as she flutters her eyes open only to close them again. She felt a great tightness around her midsection as well as soreness and tenderness. She can hear the beeping of the EKG machine, _well, that's a good sign _she thought to herself. She felt beyond tired as she tried to open her eyes again, this time she is more successful and she saw her husband. His head was down resting on his hands as if they were folded together holding his worried head up.

"Gil…" she chokes out. She didn't realize how tired she was until she reached out her hand trying to touch him. He lifted up his head and took her hand, he looked very relieved but his heart was still heavy.

"How are you feeling?" he asks moving his chair closer. Sara tries to sit up but can't without his help. He moved some of her IVs and her oxygen tube so she could sit comfortably.

"Tired…" Sara said squeezing his hand turning her head to get a better look at him. "How's Nick?" she asked feeling the daze of her pain medicine.

"He's still in surgery." Grissom said upset, releasing a sigh but never breaking his stare between him and Sara.

"Morgan?" Sara asked again feeling a mixture of emotions.

"Greg, brought her home to get cleaned up she will be back. She was very pleased to hear you were out of surgery." Grissom said but he could see the hurt in her eyes. "Sara…" he said but she just cried.

"I was ready. I braced up and when I opened my eyes I saw Nick in front of me…" she said as she broke down into sobs. "He… he…" Grissom enveloped her in her arms letting her cry but not letting feel alone as she held onto him, not wanting him to leave… ever.

"Sh…" Grissom whisper as he felt a tear threaten to breakthrough on his own demeanor.

"You came…" Sara said looking up at him as he wiped her face.

"Where else would I be?" Grissom whispered.

Mandy sighed as she stared forward waiting for a doctor or nurse to come out and tell her something. She watched the waiting room just seem to get fuller and fuller with concerned people and friends of Nick. She even seems Mr. Clean. Her eyes were red and sore, and she was out of tears. She thought the hours she stayed outside of the bank were agonizing but the hours she had already waited in the waiting room were the worst. Mandy chewed on her lip as her anxiety continued to build. She looked down and felt her phone vibrate, it was a message from Catherine.

_Stay strong kiddo, Nicky will pull through. I will be there soon. Hang on. Catherine _

Catherine was like Nick's older sister. Mandy remembered all the times that Catherine would call Nick her annoying little brother. Nick was like everyone's brother, but to Mandy he was so much more.

"Catherine texted you?" DB asked, Mandy gave a half hearted chuckled.

"Yeah, she is coming." Mandy said sad. She wasn't sad that Catherine was coming but at the whole situation. The more support was the better but it also made the situation more real. "I can't lose him." Mandy said getting emotional again. DB put his arm around her trying to console her.

"_Why do you make me watch these shows?" Nick whined as he tried to play a word back on Mandy's iPad as they played a round of pass-n-play on Words with Friends._

"_Please… I know you love this show. Does it make you feel like you are back at home?" Mandy said as she looked back at him as his head rested on her bottom as he tried to come up with a word._

"_Absolutely not." Nick chuckled. Here Comes Honey Booboo was not what life in the south was like… at least for him anyways. "I feel like this is just how people assume how people in the south live. The stereotypical redneck." Nick said passing the iPad up. "We don't all act like that." Mandy chuckled as she begun to play back, Nick was really terrible at this game._

"_Don't you call your mom, mama?" Mandy chuckled._

"_Yeah, but the ladies were southern belles and the men were gentlemen. I remember when my mama made me escort my sisters for their debutante ball… I bet Sugar Bear couldn't even spell debutante…" Nick chuckled, as he remembered the pleasantly stressful time in his childhood._

"_You know when you get excited your accent gets really thick. I can't take you serious… Mama…" she said mimicking his accent. Nick laughed out loud, he moved and mounted as he put his heading the nook of her neck._

"_I done reckon that, you missy city slicker, are teases me?" Nick said making his accent super thick, letting his lips gently grazes her skin._

"_That I am…" Mandy whispered, Nick groaned as he pushed his waist into Mandy's bottom. Nick sat up and Mandy just laid there frozen waiting for Nick's next move. She felt his hands go to her sides, and he begun to tickle her. Mandy yelped dropping her iPad, she rolled over laughing trying to push Nick away._

"_c'mere, funny lady." Nick teased as he continued to tickle her. Mandy wrapped her legs around him and was able to get on top and begun tickling Nick. "Okay… okay… you win?" Nick whined giving up grabbing Mandy's hands. Mandy pinned Nick's hands above his head._

"_Never start a tickle fight with me." Mandy said smiling._

"_My mistake, Miss Mandy-dandy…" Nick said still exaggerating his accent. Mandy went to sneak a quick tickle and Nick flinched causing Mandy to fall on the bed next to him. The pair fell into a laughing mess, but was interrupted by Nick's stomach grumbling loudly._

"_Hungry much?" Mandy teased, Nick smiled._

"_I'm going to make a sandwich, want one?" Nick asked as he hovered over Mandy._

"_Sure…" Mandy said as Nick gave her a kiss, before he hopped off to the kitchen._

_This was the first time in a long time that they had matching days off and they had all these plans. They were going to go out and do some much needed grocery shopping, maybe the movies or a museum, and then a nice romantic dinner. However once they woke up they decided that all that stuff sounded too much and would much rather just spend time with each other. They decided to be bums inside and lounge around all day and it couldn't have been a better day._

"Mandy?" they heard pulling Mandy from her story. Mandy looked up and saw a distraught Mrs. Stokes standing in the entrance way.

"Mrs. Stokes…" Mandy said standing as the woman pulled her in a hug. The women cried together.

"Have you heard anything?" Mrs. Stokes said her accent thicker than Nick's.

"No… No, he's still in surgery." Mandy said as Mrs. Stokes wiped Mandy's eyes.

"He will be alright. He's strong he will pull through, okay?" she pleaded with Mandy.

"I know." Mandy said her words shaky.

"Mrs. Stokes, I'm DB Russell…" DB introduced, prepared to shake her hand put all her attention was on Mandy.

"Call me Jillian." She said finally shaking his hand.

"Stokes family?" the doctor said coming into the waiting room with a file in his hand, his demeanor unreadable, but he looked exhausted as he came probably straight from surgery.

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Grissom is here, Mrs. Stokes is here, and Catherine is on her way. Nick is out of surgery, how is he? How is everyone going to cope with everyone? Please Review!


	10. Heart, Body, and Mind

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Thank you for the reviews! I am thinking of doing a sequel, what do you think? Please Enjoy!

Ch10: Heart, Body, and Mind

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_Nick sits across the table with his older brother, Matthew, as they enjoyed celebratory drinks. Nick had just graduated the Dallas PD academy, his brother had been a member of the Dallas PD for about five years so he had a fair amount of knowledge to share with his younger brother._

"_Never lose sight of the gun, Poncho. Never… it can be the difference whether if you walk out or get carried out. You hear me?" his slightly intoxicated brother asked._

"_I hear you, Matt." Nick said unsure how to react to his brother._

_However now he could hear his brother shouting it at him as he watched the men wrestle on the ground. He knew that they were fighting and the chance for an accidental discharge was very high, and that put all of them at risk. Nick looked up to see his friend standing there either fear stricken or stuck in shock._

"_Sar…" he said standing trying to get her out of the way but instead he stood in front of her blocking her from them._

"_Never lose sight of the gun, Poncho!" he heard his brother yell in his head as he felt a small but forceful tug through his midsection. It seemed like in a blink of an eye everything started to go wrong. The pain was unbearable and he couldn't move, he tasted blood in his mouth as all the oxygen was sucked out of his body as he couldn't breathe. He saw himself fall before him, it felt as if he was being pulled out of his body._

_Nick sucked in a big deep breath as he fell to his knees looking at his own body as it lay motionless in front of him. He held his wound but felt no relief but just more. He saw Sara shot as she tried to move towards him. Anytime he tried to talk he felt more pain, he managed to get on his feet. His brain couldn't wrap around what was going on as he felt beyond confused and delirious. He could hear Sara shouting at him but her words made no sense. Nick staggered but remained on his feet, he looked out the window and for the first time he could see through them._

_Nick saw the looks on everyone's face. He saw SWAT as they came bursting in with the look of defeat on their faces. He saw the look of anguish on the faces of that of his team. Many of them buried their faces in their hands while others remained hopelessly shocked to the core. He kept scanning until he saw Mandy burst from the pizza shop across the street, she looked broken, and distraught couldn't even begin to cover it. Mandy tried to run for the bank but DB grabbed her as Mandy collapsed into a crying, sobbing, devastated mess. Nick felt a tear escape as his heart somersaulted in his chest. Nick started to feel dizzy and more lightheaded then before and started to see stars. He fought to stay conscious but failed._

"Please sit." The doctor said, Mandy slowly sat down bracing herself for the worst but hoping for the best. Jillian sat down next to her, while DB stood. They were in a different waiting room, one away from everyone to give them a little more privacy.

"How is he?" DB asked, knowing that Mandy and Jill would be too nervous and fearful to ask anything.

"When the bullet entered Mr. Stokes, it punctured his diaphragm. Now, that is fixed but his body is too weak to breathe on his own so we intubated him and right now there is a machine doing the majority of his breathing for him…" the doctor said and Mandy felt herself starting to get upset again. "There could also be some brain trauma from a lack of oxygen. He is in critical condition right now."

"Is he… is he awake?" Mandy asked hoping that there was a happy ending at the end of this story. Jillian sat there as tears fall from her eyes as she rubbed Mandy's back.

"Unfortunately right now, he is not. We are hoping that in a few hours he will be." The doctor said genuinely showing compassion for a heartbroken Mandy, a distraught Jillian, and a worried DB.

"Can I see him?" Mandy said wiping her tears.

"Once the nurses move him to the ICU, I will send for one to get you. I just want to warn you that he is hooked up to a lot of machines. He is hooked up to a breathing machine, a pulse oximeter to watch his blood oxygen levels, there is also an EKG to watch his heart rhythm. He also has a breathing tube in, a tube to drain any fluid that may try to collect in the injured area, an IV for nutrients, pain medicine, and one for antibiotics. This may be nerve wrecking when you go to see him but I assure you that they are all necessary and are going to play a big role in his recovery." The doctor said shooting off like a gallant gun. Mandy sighed deeply.

"Thank you, doctor." Mandy said hugging him briefly. She knew he had saved Nick's life, and she appreciated the fact that he didn't try and sugarcoat it but rather told her how it is. Jillian and DB shook the doctor's hand. The doctor nodded.

"I'll check on him soon." The doctor said leaving.

Mandy looked over at DB and even though it wasn't the way they wanted things to work out this was still pretty good. Mandy was confident that Nick would pull through if he already made it this far and released a deep worrisome sigh. She was still worried but not as much as before. Nick was the strongest person she had ever met, and she knew Nick would fight like hell before he left this world.

"He's going to pull through." DB said kneeling in front of the women patting Mandy's knee seeing the young woman relieved. Mandy smiled as she wiped a few straggly tears away from her face. Just then a food cart went by and DB and Jill thought it smelt heavenly especially because either of them couldn't remember the last time he had eaten, but when they looked over at Mandy he quickly saw her face turn green as she grimaced.

"Mandy, sug' are you alright?" Jillian asked touching Mandy's back.

Mandy brought her hand to her mouth and took off in a sprint looking for a bathroom, unfortunately she ran through the other waiting room full of worried people. She saw all there worried faces but couldn't stay and chat as she took off running again, Jillian followed her into the bathroom. DB chased after her but stopped seeing all of the worried faces.

"DB? What's going on? Is Nick alright?" Greg asked worried.

"The doctors have him all patched up. He's in critical condition right now and they are moving him to the ICU." DB announced for the group. There was a feeling of mixed emotion among the group. DB walked over to Finn. "Can you go check on Mandy?" DB asked quietly, Finn nodded. Finn quietly and discreetly left the group and went to the ladies' bathroom hearing Mandy dry heave loudly but her body offered no relief.

"Mandy? Are you alright?" Finn asked, Mandy braced herself against the wall in the stall as she stood up as Jillian prepared some wet napkins.

"Yeah… yeah…" she panted. "My stomach is a little upset… stress." Mandy said trying to dismiss her embarrassment as she looked at the women as they studied her..

"I bet you one of the nurses can give you something for it." Finn said as Mandy moved to wash her hands.

"I can't take anything right now… besides I will be alright." Mandy said already regretting her words as she started to wash her hands and rinse her face. Finn and brain began to fire off with ideas which all led to one conclusion.

"They don't know?" Jillian asked confused.

"Mandy, are you pregnant?" Finn said almost interrupting Jillian.

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What did you think of Nick's out of body experience? While his physical state seems to be under control, his emotional state not so much. Nick's out of body near death experince will continue in the next chapter. I'm using some of my own personal knowledge to help fuel what Nick will face and believe me it will shock you! Please Review!


	11. Stuck

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Here is the other part of Nick's near death experience. Please Enjoy, I think you will :)

Ch11: Stuck

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"Wake up… Nicky, wake up." Nick hears a man say feeling whoever it was shaking him. Nick lifted his head up feeling his body but unable to open his eyes. He realized he was sitting up as the person who was holding let him go. Nick slummed forward. "Damn it, Nicky, wake up!" the man said dumping a cool liquid on him. Nick's eyes shot up as the cool liquid pulled him from his weak state. Nick saw his longtime friend looking down at him.

"Warrick?" Nick panted confused as he tried to gain control of his breathing but it felt as if someone else was breathing for him.

"Hey Nicky," Warrick said putting his hands on his hands as he looked down at Nick who seemed confused.

"What's going on? Where am I?" Nick asked standing up in a fright, he didn't hurt as much anymore but he was slowly but surely having difficulty breathing. He immediately checked his midsection for the gunshot wound but didn't find one, untucking his shirt but now even finding a scar. "I thought I was shot." Nick said touching his skin.

"You were." Warrick replied simply as he took his watch and rings off. Nick looked up at his friend confused of what he was doing but then the strange reality of what was going on hit Nick like an epiphany.

"Am I dead?!" Nick asked panicked.

"No… you are stuck." Warrick said empting his pockets.

"What do you mean? Rick, please tell me what's going on?" Nick asked touching his friend's shoulder.

"The door behind me will bring you back to your hospital bed, but I will be honest with you Nicky. You aren't doing so well. Or you can stay here… with me?" Warrick said slowly adding the last part.

Nick's face fell he couldn't believe that this was happening he didn't want to have to choose between his dead best friend, or his life. This wasn't his fault or Warrick's fault but yet here they were in a hostile but yet awkward situation.

"I'm sorry, Warrick. I can't stay." Nick said feeling tears rush to his eyes. Nick went to walk past his friend but Warrick pushed Nick back, not hard but enough to stop him and get his attention.

"It's not that easy, Nicky. You want out that door; you have to get passed me?" Warrick said changing his body language completely so that he looked like a bull ready to pummel Nick.

"I don't want to fight you…" Nick said begging his friend, as he shied away putting his hands up ready to defend himself but more as if he surrendered to his friend showing he wasn't a threat.

"I'm sorry, Nicky but this is the way it has to be." His friend said as he pushed Nick down. Nick stumbled on a strangely placed ottoman and fell onto his back looking up at the ceiling.

"Nick, please wake up." Nick heard Mandy whisper. He looked around for her but didn't see her but he could almost feel her there. Nick sighed as he got to his feet he charged Warrick in an effect to take him down. He could hear Mandy as if she was cheering him on, only if she knew the madness that was going on in his head right now.

Mandy squeezes Nick's hand with no response back from him. His hand loosely holding on to her, his hand was cold and a little clammy. Mandy brushed his bangs out of his face careful not to knock or hit his breathing tube. She held his hand with both of hers bringing it to her lips as she kissed it softly before resting it on her cheek. DB placed a hand on her shoulder. Mandy was blessed that DB had stayed around because she felt for sure that she would have gone crazy long ago if he wasn't still here.

Jillian couldn't bring herself inside and see her son like that so she paced around outside as if on guard. It brought her mind at ease just a little but Mandy learned that Nick coped with stress the same way his mom did. They paced aimlessly.

"You know…" Mandy choked out as DB moved to sit in the chair on the other side of Nick's bed. "He's never this still, especially when he sleeps." Mandy said wiping her eyes. She felt as if she was looking at the shell of Nick, as he lay in the hospital bed.

"What do you mean?" DB asked looking at the depressed lab tech, as she looked at the love of her life with sad eyes.

"I remember thinking to myself the first couple times when I slept over how awesome it was that he didn't snore. He mumbles a little but he didn't snore. I can deal with mumbling I told myself. I remember thinking we were a match made in heaven." She chuckled as she held his hand and lightly stroked his inner forearm.

"That's sweet." DB said smiling.

"He would wait until I fell asleep and then he would move and sleep on the floor or move to the couch. First, he told me he was a bed hog… but he's not." Mandy smiled still never taking her eyes off Nick.

"Then what was it?" DB asked intrigued by her story.

_Mandy wakes up as Nick rolls over for what felt like the hundredth time, all while he was in the deepest sleep. Mandy couldn't believe how much he moved asleep, instead of restless legs syndrome his whole body was restless. He tossed and turned, jolted up, jumped, and shook a little. He would push pillows away and kick the covers away all while being sound asleep._

_Nick jolts up starling Mandy knocking his pillow off the bed, rolling over just to use his arm as a pillow instead of the abused pillow. Mandy sat up and looked down as him. Mandy wondered if Nick ever woke up with muscle fatigue because of how much he had moved. Once he was still, Mandy laid back down hoping to catch some more sleep before her shift. However once she got comfortable Nick rolled over again, putting one hand behind his head and putting the other under shirt on his stomach. Mandy's eyes shot open and she moved and straddled Nick putting her hands on his shoulders down as if holding him still. Nick stirred a little before opening his eyes but wore a sleepy expression on his face. Nick lifted his head and looked around and then looked up at Mandy._

"_What's going on, babe?" Nick asked putting his hands on her hips as he yawned. It was evident that Nick's brain was still asleep, he wore it on his face as he looked at Mandy's with droopy bleary eyes._

"_Why can't you relax?" Mandy asked and Nick looked up at her confused._

"_What? You are on top of me… I'm confused?" Nick said tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, as he finally woke up. "Did I wake you up?" Nick asked, Mandy nodded._

"_Yes." Mandy said._

"_Sorry." Nick said in that sultry drawl. He pulled her close and she snuggled in using his chest on a pillow. She could hear his heart beating as if it was a drum calming her into sleep but just before she fell asleep he jolted… again, it wasn't a regular jolt either. Mandy lifted her head looking at him. His eyes were closed but she could see him fighting a smile. He opened his one eye to see her, and broke out in laughter. As displease as Mandy was she couldn't help but laugh too. She rolled away only to be pulled back by Nick._

"_You are so funny." Mandy teased. Nick smiled as he wrapped his arms around her pulling her close._

"_I love you." Nick said kissing her cheek._

"_I love you, too, but we only have an hour left of sleep before we have to get ready to go back to work." Mandy said welcoming his embrace._

"_You are right, but I know something else we can before we have to get ready." Nick said kissing her bare shoulder. Mandy was wearing one of his shirts and they were always too big._

"_You are so romantic…" Mandy said moving her neck to give him a better point of access. Nick smiled as he kissed her neck again._

"_You know I try." Nick purred against her skin._

"After a while I kind of just got use to the way he sleeps. We tried everything to see if it would help, but nothing does." Mandy said brushing Nick's bangs again because they had fallen.

"Maybe its stressed?" DB asked adjusting in his seat.

"When he's stressed he doesn't sleep… at all. He cleans a lot but he will walk aimlessly around the house at all hours of the day when we should be asleep… that's why when he flew off the handle…" Mandy said pausing just feeling more and more terrible. She sighed and fought through her sadness. "I thought… I thought he would come to me. So we could talk, so I could help him. DB, I would have supported Nick's choice either way, if he even let me in to understand it. I love him with everything."

"He's stubborn just like his father." Jillian said wiping her eyes looking at her son as he lay in the bed as the machine breathed for him. This was like scary déjà vu from a year prior. "Roger, would tell me that it was nothing he couldn't handle. I remember telling him that normal people sleep at 3 am, until Nick started working grave." Jillian chuckled a little before wiping her eyes. "But, he has always slept like that. His brother, Matthew, use to hate sharing a room with him so I would find either one of them on the couch but then Roger gave up his study so they could have their own rooms." By her words you could feel the love she had for her late husband and the worry and heartache she had in her voice as she reminisced the fond memory of her late husband.

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I hope you enjoyed this and there will be one more part of his near death experince. I threw in another flashback as well what did you think? What did you think? Please Enjoy!


	12. Awake My Soul

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Here's the final part of Nick's near death out of body experience, I hope you enjoy it! Thank you, for all of you reviewing! Please Review!

* * *

Ch12: Awake My Soul

Nick pushed Warrick down as both men fell just completely exhausted and sore and beaten. Nick could feel the lumps on his face as it began to throb and could taste blood in his mouth. Neither man would give up and now were feeling the effects of that, they were both stuck in this room until one of them won. However this wasn't a fight they wanted to win nor lose.

Nick slowly crawled his battered body towards the door over all this broken furniture. He feels Warrick grab his legs. Nick struggles and tries and tries to kick him away but Warrick barely loosen. Warrick forces Nick on his back and punches him in the chest knocking the wind out of him. Nick folded in pain bringing his hands to his midsection. Nick looked up and saw Warrick raise his fist again. Nick saw his fist back blindly and connected with Warrick's jaw causing him to fall on his face and release his hold on Nick. Nick frantically crawled away and bursting through the door as he finally got to his feet on wobbly legs.

Once he went through the door he found it very difficult to breath as he started to hyperventilate. He felt like he couldn't get enough oxygen and felt his hands and feet soon get tingly. Nick continued to struggle and he fell on all fours. He looked around to take in the scenery, it looked like he was stuck in the Nevada desert. It was slightly windy, blowing the sand around. Nick looked around and saw a stray ashy tree about ten feet away. Nick realized he wasn't beaten up anymore, the lumps on his face gone and he no longer tasted blood in his mouth. He felt someone's hand around his sides and saw that it was Warrick, Nick struggled against him for a bit.

"Let me help you, Nicky." Warrick said softer. Warrick helped Nick get to the tree so that Nick could sit against it. Once Nick sat against it he looked up and saw more and more people coming up, they weren't as clear as Warrick but there was a lot and Nick felt loved. That he wasn't alone during this scary situation.

"I'm sorry… I couldn't leave Mandy… she's…" Nick said really struggling to breathe. Warrick knelt beside Nick and put a hand on Nick's shoulder but it did little to comfort a scared Nick.

"I know, Nicky. I want to thank you for watching over Tina and Eli, I know that it isn't easy… I know she's angry with you guys. So, I wanted to let you know I appreciate it." Warrick says, Nick found his voice strangely calm and collected.

"I… can't breathe…" Nick said scared grabbing Warrick's arm. Warrick didn't flinch.

"Take care of yourself, Nicky. I don't want to see you for a long time… you're needed down there." Warrick said smiling at his friend as tears filled his eyes.

"Are you trying to give your mother a heart attack?" Nick heard from his other side. He turned his head and saw his father looking at him. Nick couldn't help but chuckle a little bit, remembering all the times his father said that when he was younger.

"Pa… Cis… Cisco…" Nick panted struggling to get every last bit of air he could.

"Easy there, boss." Roger said putting his hand on Nick's chest. "Listen, Poncho, I don't want to catch you up here for a while. You have stuff to take care of down there. Tell your ma I love her and take care of her for me." Roger said grabbing Nick's hand squeezing it tight. "If I catch you up here again, I'm going stick my boot up your ass. You hear me?" he said with a smile, Warrick chuckled. Nick smiled because he heard that a lot as a boy too. "I love you, son."

"I love you, too, Pa… Mandy… she's…" Nick said trying to make his friend and father understand but his lack of air made it difficult.

"We know, Nicky. We've seen your little girl." Warrick said and Nick was instantly brought to tears.

"It's… it's a… girl?" Nick cried squeezing Warrick's shoulder and Roger's hand as they stood up only to move closer and pull Nick in an embrace. Nick broke down in his friend's and father's grasp.

"As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and staff, they comfort me…" Warrick said and Nick found relief in his breathing not a lot but some. Then it went quiet, he couldn't hear Warrick's prayer or Mandy's pleas for him to wake up anymore. It was just silence.

Mandy stood quietly at the foot of Nick's bed. She had been waiting two days for him to wake up. She was now waiting for his doctor who seemed to just blow her off every time he went past saying that Nick would wake up soon. DB had brought her a change of clothes but Mandy felt that as soon as she would leave he would wake up. However she did want to get out of these dirty clothes and get into her yoga pants.

"Where is this doctor?" Jillian said she too was growing just as agitated as Mandy but Mandy didn't know what a little spitfire she was. She paced back and forth giving the occasional peek out of the door looking for the doctor. She crossed her arms showing her displeasure. "These people are about to have to deal with an angry Mama Stokes, and nobody wants that." She said making the same angry face that Mandy has seen Nick make many times.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to change." Mandy pouted and went to the patient bathroom in Nick's room. She knew that if Nick didn't wake up soon that she would be stuck in this depression. She was already to put her hands on his doctor especially if he tried to blow her off again. She heard a knock on the door.

"Mandy? You might want to hurry up…" DB said knocking on the door. Mandy opened the door as she put her shirt on. She wore a gray shirt and a pair of yoga pants nothing special this outfit was mainly for comfort. Mandy went to Nick's bedside and grabbed his hand, while Jillian was on the other side holding his other hand that had all the IVs in it.

Nick's hands still cold but they saw his legs start to twitch. They weren't as squirrely as when he usually sleeps but to see him move the slightest filled her heart with hope. She watched him continue stir. DB watches Mandy and smiles, as Mandy kissed his hand. His face fell as he saw Nick fighting to open his eyes. He opened them very slowly and just a crack but enough before closing them. Mandy got excited and stood up, knocking over her chair.

"Nick…" Mandy whispered as she squeezed her hand fighting the joy from seeing him open his eyes even if it was for just a second. Nick squeezed her hand lightly as he opened his eyes again looking at Mandy. "Hey there." Mandy said smiling as Nick looked at her with glassy eyes. "Don't try and talk the doctors put a breathing tube in." Mandy said feeling a tear escape her eyes as Nick looked at her. Jillian couldn't even speak she was so happy to see her son pulling through.

"How are you feeling, Nicky?" Jillian asked, Nick made a weak thumbs up with the hand she was holding and raised it about an inch or two of the bed. Mandy smiled and gave a little chuckle. He looked completely exhausted, as he pulled his hand away to put it on Mandy's stomach. Mandy couldn't help but cry but these tears were different then the other tears she had shed, these were good tears, almost and she could see the same ones falling from his eyes. Mandy wiped his tears away and kissed his forehead. Nick grabbed her hand.

"I love you, Nick. I'm sorry I've been such a…" Mandy started but Nick just shook his head no as he squeezed her hand. Mandy smiled and kissed his hand. Just then Nick's dreadful doctor came in.

"Hello, hello, I heard someone is awake." The doctor said looking at Nick's charts then his monitors. "Alright, Mr. Stokes, we are going to take you to run some tests." The doctor said, Mandy was disappointed because now that Nick was awake she most definitely didn't want to share him. Mandy held his hand all the way to the MRI room.

"I will be right outside." She said kissing his hand as he was wheeled away… again. Mandy waited outside on the bench while DB went to the cafeteria to get some snacks.

"I figured you were hungry?" DB said handing her a banana and some orange juice, and giving Jillian a cinnamon roll.

"I called Catherine and told her he was awake… thank you." She said taking the food, she couldn't think of the last time she ate.

"How far along are you?" DB asked sitting back. Mandy sighed as she leaned forward.

"Almost three months… we weren't trying to hide it from you guys." Mandy said looking down.

"You never said anything?" DB asked.

"We were going to wait… I put in for a shift change and I'm just waiting for Ecklie's approval. Once I moved, we were going to tell you guys." Mandy said looking at her orange juice.

_Mandy paced around the living room as she rehearsed what she was going to say in her head once Nick came home. She was so nervous her hands shook and she began to sweat as she continued to pace around the couch. She didn't know how he would react or what he would want her to do. She saw his truck pull into the driveway, and saw him get out and check the mail and walk inside._

"_Hey babe…" Nick said giving Mandy a kiss as he tossed the mail on the counter._

"_I gotta to talk to you." Mandy said holding Nick's arm. Nick's face changed as he looked at her confused, but he continued to walk to the bathroom._

"_Can it wait a second I gotta use the bathroom? It's going to be a photo finish." Nick stuttered as he frantically walked to the bathroom fighting with his belt._

"_Just don't get any of the seat." Mandy teased as she sat down on the couch. Nick's phone went off and she heard him sigh lightly._

"_I hate this phone…" Nick growled as he dropped his phone. Nick cursed under his breath, when he reached for it he kicked it causing it to hit the garage in the bathroom. Nick froze forgetting about his full bladder as he looked down seeing an empty pregnancy test box that had fallen out of the garbage can. Nick picked up the box and walked out of the bathroom his face in total shock. He looks at her as she stands giving him a worried smile. "Are you pregnant? Nick asked walking towards her._

"_I thought you had to pee…" Mandy said._

"_Mandy?" Nick said serious._

"_Yes, I am." Mandy said, Nick's face fell as he sat on the couch releasing a sigh. Mandy sat on the couch next him as she crossed her legs and studying his reaction, he buried his head in his hands._

"_Oh man." Nick said worried._

"_I'll call Ecklie… I'll call my…" Mandy said shooting off ideas as she started to panic._

"_Stop." Nick said holding her hand. "Don't panic, we can do this. This is a good thing." Nick said laying back on the couch pulling Mandy close._

"_We can…" Mandy said trying to convince herself this wasn't as scary and overwhelming as before but she was trying._

"_I'll call Ecklie." Nick said._

"_No, I can't pull you away from the team. I will change shifts." Mandy said pulling away getting a better look at him._

"_You sure?" Nick asked touching her face._

"_Yes…" Mandy smiled._

"_I love you." Nick said kissing Mandy._

"_I love you." Mandy said moving to sit on his lap. Nick pulled away and put his hands on her stomach before kissing it gently._

"_I love you." Nick said, even though she wasn't showing. The action alone was brought Mandy to tears. "We will be alright." Nick said looking up at Mandy smiling._

* * *

Hope you liked the flashback as well! What did you think? Please Review!


	13. Moments

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! Two chapters remaining and then a sequel! Thank you for all of you that reviewed, followed, and favorited. Please Enjoy!

* * *

Ch13: Moments

"Nick, stop it." Mandy said grabbing his hands as he wanted to pull the tube out. Luckily for her and the situation, he was too weak to really pull out the tube. Jillian went to their house to sleep, while DB stood in the doorway waiting to flag down a nurse. Just when Mandy thought she was going to lose it, the doctor came in.

"Mr. Stokes, we are going to give you something to help you relax." The doctor said putting a pair of gloves on. "If you guys don't mind we will need you to step outside so we can take this out." The doctor said as the nurse motioned for them to leave the room. Mandy stood outside his room as they pulled his curtain close as she rubbed her hands together nervous.

"He's alright…" DB said putting a hand on her shoulder when he saw Sara coming up. She held her side but was no longer in a hospital gown but rather a pair jeans and a loose t-shirt. "Sara? How are you feeling?" DB asked.

"I'm alright. I'm just a little sore. What's going on?" Sara asked looking in the room seeing the curtain closed.

"They are taking the tube out now." Mandy said not looking at her, too nervous, but shook her head and finally looked at Sara. "Are you going home?"

"Yeah, Grissom went to get the car but I wanted to stop and see Nick before I leave." Sara said grimacing a little.

"Mandy?!" Nick cried out, his voice raspy, scratchy, and full of heartache. Mandy went into the room and grabbed his hand and saw Nick in just about a full panic as the nurses tried to put him on oxygen.

"I'm here… sh…" Mandy said holding his hand tight as he rolled onto his side towards her to get more comfortable and to have a better look at her. Nick pulled her close and Mandy held his face as he started to cry.

"I love you… I'm sorry…" Nick said his voice cracking like he was going through puberty.

"I love you too… just relax…" Mandy said lightly stroking his cheek worried that he'd throw himself into a panic attack. Nick nodded as all the fatigue caught up to him. She saw Nick struggle to keep his eyes open as she lightly stroked his forehead shushing him so he could sleep. "Go to sleep…" Mandy whispered as she kissed his forehead. She watched him fall asleep, as much as she wanted him awake and be normal she knew he was still quiet a ways away from a hundred percent.

"How are you doing?" Sara said as DB left giving the women some privacy.

"I'm hanging in there… they've awaken the beast." Mandy chuckled wiping a tear from her face. Sara chuckled and smiled.

"How is he doing?" Sara asked looking at him as he slept, she couldn't help but notice the slight twitches.

"They keep telling him, that the more rest he gets that he would recover quicker… but someone is insistent on being awake. The pain medicine gets him every time." Mandy said pretending to hit the button to give him more. The women laugh a little, a stress releasing laugh.

"How long have you guys' been together?" Sara asked sitting on the windowsill, looking at the couple.

"To be honest, Sara, I don't really know. We've always been friends… it just kind of happened we started to spend more time together…" Mandy said smiling.

_A year earlier… Nick sighs as he leaves his jeep. He had just returned from Dallas for his father's funeral. Nick wasn't very motivated to be back at the lab, he felt like he needed to be with his family still. However being home wasn't a reality for him, he was alone there and he's alone here. Nick scratched his head as he locked his car and started making his way to the elevator. All he had to do was submit some paperwork and clock out, and then he was going home to get drunk, or get some food he still debated that in his head._

"_Nick?" Archie said, Nick stopped and turned to see the young man running up to him._

"_What's up?" Nick said, it was evident his mood was still kind of down in the dumps. Nick had just about mentally tagged out for the rest of his already extended shift._

"_I have your results," Archie said, it was evident that the tech was on his way home. Nick looked at the file with dead eyes as he took a deep breath, Archie started explaining the results and bless his heart for the effort but Nick only heard every other word. Nick peeked his head as he heard yelling in the distance. He looked past Archie and saw Mandy arguing with someone but he couldn't see._

"_Who's Mandy arguing with? She and Hodges get into another argument…" Nick halfheartedly teased._

"_No, that's her ex. The guy won't leave her alone." Archie said looking over at the arguing pair._

"_Oh really?" Nick said shutting the folder handing it back to Archie. Nick walks over to the pair and see the man grab her arm and Mandy immediately pushes him away._

"_Don't touch me." Mandy cried out._

"_You stupid…" the man said when she saw Nick come out of nowhere and pushed the guy away standing in front of her, protecting her._

"_Are you alright, Mandy?" Nick asked looking at the man with an intimated glare._

"_I'm fine…" she said trying to hide the fact that she was upset and crying, but she couldn't._

"_You better leave, now, you hear? If I see you back here I'll have a cell waiting for you." Nick said making sure the punk heard him. "Go!" Nick said pushing him again. The man did take off, wanting nothing to do Nick or Mandy anymore. Once the man was gone, Nick turned around and looked at Mandy._

"_Thanks…" Mandy said wiping her eyes. Nick nodded, and picked up her purse and keys off the ground. He handed them back to her as he opened her car door._

"_Don't shed a tear for someone who won't for you." Nick said resting against the door as she sat in the driver seat. "You will be alright… Call me if that little punk decides to bother you, again." Nick said smiling giving her a pat on the arm before she returned the smile and drove off. Nick went inside to finish his work._

_Mandy decided not to go home, she knew that he was probably just going to be waiting for her there, and even if he wasn't she didn't really want to be alone. She drove around pointlessly around the city, which was almost a death sentence in itself. She ended up at Frank's Diner and decided that maybe she will enjoy a meal and then go home. Food can solve all problems she thought. As she entered the diner she saw Nick sitting alone at the counter watching TV and drinking some coffee. Great, he's going to think that I'm stalking him, she thought._

"_Is this seat taken?" Mandy asked, Nick turned as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. He just nodded, having a mouthful of toast._

"_No… please sit…" Nick mumbled trying not to talk with a mouthful. Mandy smiled and sat down._

"_What can I get for ya?" Dee, the waitress, asked._

"_Just some French toast, please…"_

"_Coffee?" she asked scribbling the order down._

"_Yes, please." Mandy said getting comfortable in the stool as Dee poured her a cup of coffee._

"_It'll be right up." She said leaving to take other orders. It became awkward between the pair, neither of them knew what to say to each other after everything that had just happened earlier at the garage._

"_Mandy, I'm sorry about earlier… I don't want you think I was being nosey… I just…" Nick stuttered unsure what to say but Mandy interrupted him, putting her hand on his shoulder._

"_No… thank you. I appreciate it, really." Mandy said smiling._

"_Where'd you meet that, punk?" Nick asked sipping his coffee._

"_Through a friend… we only dated a few months."_

"_Why'd you stop?" Nick asked, looking at her as he leaned against the counter._

"_We argued a lot about money. Anytime he had some he'd blow it off and he'd never bring me out or when he did we'd split the bill…" Mandy said quietly, Nick's face fell._

"_What? That's gross?"_

"_Gross?" Mandy said unsure if she should be offended or not._

"_As a man, better yet as your man, he should pay." Nick said the words __**your man**__ tingling in both of their heads still. "Split the bill… What does he do for a living?" Nick chuckled._

"_He's in between jobs…" Mandy said quietly, and Nick looked at her in disbelief._

"_You mean he's unemployed? Mandy, you deserve better than that…" Nick said as he drank the remainder of his coffee._

"_What about you, CSI Stokes?" Mandy teased back as Nick adjusted himself in his seat to get a better look at her._

"_What about me?" Nick teased as he smiled._

"_What about your love life? Since, we are talking about mine."_

"_There's nothing to tell…"_

"_Single?" Mandy asked, and Nick slowly nodded. "I thought you were seeing that Nurse and Doc Robbins' niece?"_

"_It didn't work out…" Nick said looking away._

"_With either of them?"_

"_With either of them…" Nick chuckled a little as Dee brought out their food._

"After our thrilling conversation about our hopeless love lives" Mandy teased smiling a little adjusting some of Nick's tubing as he stirred a little. "He told me about his father and how seeing his family back home made him a little homesick."

"He seemed like he was in a funk, when he came back." Sara said as she too remembered Nick's indifferent attitude when he came back.

"He was…" Mandy said quietly. Mandy held his hand with both of hers. His hands were finally warming up a little not a lot but they weren't as ice cold as they were before.

"When did your relationship change?" Sara asked quietly. "Nick never mentioned anything about it until today."

"We tried to keep it quiet, seeing what happened with you and Grissom… I thought we were just going to be friends, and to be honest I didn't know where our relationship was headed until six months ago."

_Mandy laughs as she opens her door, as Nick follows her. They had just returned from the movies. They had just seen the movie 21 Jump Street, and Mandy kept calling Nick, __**Jenkov**__. She got the biggest kick out of it, while Nick couldn't help but laugh seeing Mandy so giggly._

"_Would you like a beer, Jenkov?" Mandy asked as she made her way to her fridge as Nick looked around at her pictures that hung on the wall. He had seen this many times, actually every time he had come over he had come over, he would look at all her photos and then sit on her sofa. However, Mandy had rearranged her living room and Nick was like a cat in total confusion and needed to check everything out._

"_Yes, please." Nick said smiling. "If you keep calling me, Jenkov, I'm going to call you Schmidt." Nick said looking at Mandy as she handed him a beer as she laughed a little._

_It wasn't strange for the two of them to hangout alone because they had always been friends. Mandy had always had more guy friends than girlfriends but that was probably because she had been sort of a tomboy. She would rather go for a hike and go four wheeling than get her hair and nails done any day. But they had entered the friend zoned, as much as Nick wanted Mandy and vice versa neither of them wanted to jeopardize their friendship. Nick turned as he took a sip of his beer as he paid attention to her collection of CD and her giant radio._

"_I found that in my closet decided to bring it out." Mandy said as Nick looked the stereo. Nick made a face trying to figure out where the on button was, thinking that if he played some music it would be nice. As soon as he hit a button the stereo started blaring music greatly startling Nick. Mandy laughed as she ran to turn it down. "Are you trying to get me in trouble with my landlady? My neighbors will call her…" Mandy said chuckling seeing Nick still startle._

_They looked at each other as there laughter died down they realized that they were a lot closer then they had initially thought. Nick couldn't help but look into her eyes feeling like he was getting lost in them. As much as Mandy thought that Nick had saved her, he felt the same way about her. He knew that he would start acting out because of the stress of losing his father. Nick had leaned in slowly and kissed her ever so gently. Mandy touched his face as they kissed. Nick pulled away slowly as realized what was doing._

"_Mandy… I… I'm…" Nick stuttered as he tried to apologize but this time Mandy kissed him. Nick was relieved as he put his beer on the shelf as he took hers from her hand to take it away. Mandy smiled as Nick put the beers away as he kissed her again. Mandy put her arms around him pulling closer, Nick instinctively picked her up and started to blindly going to her bedroom. Nick pulled away a little unsure of which way to go. Mandy smiled at him as she bit her lip, she pushed up the door that was just in arms length._

"_pardon the mess…" she whispered, Nick growled a little as he kissed her as he made his way to her bed gently setting her down as they desperately began grabbing at each other to take their clothes off. Mandy frantically began untucking his shirt as she moved to pull it over his head. Nick kissed her again before pulling her shirt off in a fluid motion. Once the majority of their clothes were removed and joined the other small collection of clothes on her floor, Nick started to second guess doing this._

"_Mandy… wait… wait…" Nick said pulling her hands away from the waistband of his jeans._

"_What?" Mandy asked hoping that she didn't looked desperate and come off as some slut, because she did like Nick, a lot._

"_Once we do this, there's no turning back… I don't want to lose you and what we have because of a one night stand. Are you sure about this?" Nick asked tucking a piece of hair behind her ear letting his hand linger on her cheek. He had to use all the strength he had not to kiss every inch of her body and make her his._

"_Do you not want this?" Mandy asked and she got the same look that Nick gave her when he found out her ex had her split the bill. Even as friends Nick usually paid for everything because that's what men do, he would tell her._

"_Of course, I want this… but I want you in every way I think I've fallen for you… I… I love you." Nick said his accent thick as looked directly in her eyes. Mandy couldn't help but smile knowing that Nick was being honest and that made her heart warm. Now Nick just prayed that he didn't say too much. Mandy rolled on top of Nick planting a kiss on his lips._

"_I feel the same way, I was just too chicken to say anything. I love you too, Nick." She said kissing him again as Nick moved getting on top. Mandy smiled touching his face. "I've wanted to do this since you help me that day at the lab." Mandy said and Nick's face fell._

"_We could have been doing this the whole time?" Nick teased smiling._

"_Shut up, and kiss me." Mandy said smiling as they picked up right where they left off._

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I find that often times with an N&M story, it doesn't really show how they started off and i have been guilty of that in other stories. So a little background ought to do some good. What did you think?


	14. Impulsive Outlet

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! The next chapter is going to be the last one.

* * *

Ch14: Impulsive Outlet

Nick's eyes were red and sore, he could feel them as he scanned the ceiling feeling too weak to lift his head up. His skin was pale only enhancing the red appearance of his eyes. Nick swallowed hard as he continued to look around. It had been two days since the tube was taken out and as much as Nick thought he was doing better, it was definitely evident that this was going to a slow process. For now, Nick felt that he was in a trans, he didn't know if it was the pain medicine or just the emotional shock of everything. Mandy was still at his side, she had no plans to leave unless she came with him. She held his hand, and when she went to look at him she saw that he was already looking at her.

"How are you feeling?" Mandy asked looking at him. Nick was a confusing person, he had many mood swings and bottled a lot of his feelings.

"Tired…" Nick said looking at Mandy with a tired smile.

"Why don't you fall asleep?" Mandy asked leaning closer to his bed but not leaving the stall comfort of the hospital chair.

"That's all I've been doing… when do I get to go home?" Nick said fighting to sit up. Mandy stood up to help him. Nick was the definition of a stubborn man.

"You need to rest or the doctor is going to keep you forever." Mandy said as she moved the pillow behind him and inclined the bed so that he was in a more sitting position.

"Forever?" Nick chuckled a little before wincing in pain as he rest back against the bed. Mandy smiled at him.

"Yes, forever. I'll let him too." Mandy said putting her hands on the rail of his bed. Nick smiled and pushed the railing down and scooted over a little, and patted the space next to him. "Nick…"

"Come sit with me…" Nick almost begged her as he held her hand. "Don't make me beg, Mandy…" Nick said smiling. Mandy sat next to him on the bed, it wasn't more comfortable then that chair but wasn't worst either.

"Better?" Mandy asked stroking his face as he smile.

"Much. Thank you for being here." Nick sad softly putting his hand on her thigh.

"Someone has to keep the beast in check." Mandy teased, Nick smiles as does Mandy. "This is what I do. I take care of you." Mandy smiled and Nick reached up and touched her face.

"You were right, I was looking for the easy way out and I wasn't thinking straight or about you or the baby. I was selfish…" Nick started but Mandy kissed him to shut him up.

"How about for now on, we just talk to each other? Let me help you." Mandy said.

"Okay," Nick said smiling as his machine beeped giving him a dose of pain meds. "My sleepy juice."

"Don't ever scare me like that again." Mandy said turning the mood serious again.

"I won't." Nick said kissing her hand. Nick started to feel the waves of relief and fatigue from the pain medicine.

"Why don't you fall asleep? Quit fighting it." Mandy said watching Nick. Nick smiled as he slowly opened his eyes.

"I wanna stay here with you…" Nick said looking up at her tiredly. Mandy just smiled sweetly.

"I will be here when you wake up."

"I know." Nick said trying to chuckle but not being able to because of the pain. Mandy consoled him getting him to relax.

"Just relax. You don't have to laugh, I know, I'm funny." Mandy said smiling as did Nick.

"A regular comedian, Mandy dandy." Nick said still smiling.

"I know." Mandy said stroking his face. Nick turned to get a better look at her.

"Let's get married?" Nick said seriously looking at her, as his medicine started to get the best of him.

"What?" Mandy said thinking and hoping she had just had heard him wrong, that maybe the pain medicine had him just blindly mumbling.

"Me and you, let's get married. We could just go to the altar right now, we are in Vegas. What do you think?" Nick said slowly losing the battle to keep his tired eyes open.

"No…" she whispered unsure why. "I mean… why don't you just focus on getting better, okay? I'm going to need your help chasing our little one around." Mandy said, Nick immediately smiled.

"Okay…" Nick said finally falling asleep.

_Nick stood out in front of his Denali waiting to see Mandy. She had texted him saying that she needed to talk to him, she wasn't having a super stellar day. Nick wasn't necessarily worried about being see by anyone he had parked far enough from any other cars, and you wouldn't see his car unless you were looking for it. Nick rested his head back as he rested against the driver door. Nick peeked his head up as he heard footsteps and looked up and saw her coming. She didn't look to happy._

"_Hey..." Nick said biting his lip._

"_I need a hug." She said as she approached him. Nick pulled her in a hug kissing her forehead. Mandy snaked her arms around his waist resting her head against his chest._

"_What's up?" Nick asked._

"_Ecklie…" Mandy said and Nick could only imagine and held her a little tighter. "You smell nice." Mandy said looking up at him._

"_Thank you?" Nick said looking down at her. They heard footsteps and nearly tripped over each other to get in the backseat of his Denali. Nick looked at the window seeing Hodges and Henry leaving probably for lunch or something. "They're probably leaving for lunch…" Nick said looking over at Mandy. "What's up with Ecklie?"_

"_The stupid backlog." Mandy said taking off her glasses rubbing her eyes._

"_You don't have a backlog though, I thought?" Nick asked confused._

"_I don't." she said quiet matter of fact._

"_Oh, I don't understand." Nick said scratching the back of his head._

"_Swing shift right now is a revolving door of techs so they have a backlog. Ecklie wanted to know why I haven't started working on them, and if I needed a special invitation to do so. I hate that guy, he's such a turd!" Mandy said and Nick couldn't help but smile until Mandy looked at him with a displeased look wiping Nick's smile from his face. "I'm serious, Nick." she said pushing him a little._

"_I'm sorry, he shouldn't yell at you. It's not your fault." Nick said pulling her into a hug. "You want me to talk to him?"_

"_No, that won't solve anything. You weren't there when it happened, he will get curious? Don't worry about it."_

"_Don't worry about it? If it has you upset I'm going to worry about it. I don't want to see you upset." Nick said serious looking at her._

"_You're the sweetest guy." Mandy said kissing him._

_Even though they had silently vowed to never do anything at the lab, so that their chances of getting caught together were slim there was always exceptions to rules and this had to be an exception. This was an outlet for both of them, a stressful day that left them in need for some physical release and sooner was always better than later._

_Nick and Mandy were very impulsive people, so some ideas that could be demeaned a little risky often they acted on especially when they were together like this one. The idea of hooking up in the backseat of his Denali at work only engulfed them further getting them wrapped so far up in what was going on that they didn't think what would happen afterwards. Like what would happen if they were caught, or about protection. They had previously acted without protection and just didn't think about it. As juvenile as it sounded, what was one more._

"_God, I love you." She said as she regained control of her breathing, as she laid against Nick's chest. Nick chuckled as he tucked a piece of her kind of sweaty hair behind her ear as he kissed her forehead._

"_Love you too, babe." Nick said kissing her forehead again._

"_Where does DB think you are?" she asked._

"_I told him I wasn't feeling well and needed to grab some lunch." Nick said smiling grabbing her hand and raising it as if they were doing the tango._

"_What are we doing, Nick?" Mandy asked, she felt Nick shrug._

"_I'm not sure, but we got the rest of our lives to figure it out." Nick said smiling looking down at her. Mandy smiled and bit her lip with giddiness as she held Nick tight._

* * *

The creation of little Poncho. A lot is going on this chapter. Why do you think Mandy said no? Mandy is Nick's rock as he is hers. What did you think? Please Review!


	15. Little Scientists

Valley of the Shadow of Death

Disclaimer: Don't own them!

Please Review! This is the last chapter I hope you enjoy it! I apologize for the late timing but it has been a hectic day. Please enjoy!

Ch15: Little Scientists

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A week later... Grissom and Sara share a booth at Frank's to share breakfast together before going to visit Nick in the hospital. He was doing a lot better and they were doing a lot better too. Who knew that spending time with the people who loved you the most and away from work could really do wonders for your soul?

It was like Sara and Grissom love back in love with each other, without ever really falling out of love with each other. However this time it was different, they were under the stressful excitement of boss and worker relationship but rather what each other truly how to offer and that was more exciting.

"You know Mandy is pregnant?" Sara said as she took a bite of her toast.

"Yeah… What about us? Do you want to have kids?" Grissom asked in typical awkward fashion as he stared at his plate.

"How do you feel about it?" Sara asked smirking. She certainly had thought about this before. "I work all the time and you are never home."

"What if I was home more?" Grissom asked looking up lightly touching her hand from across the table.

"Really?" Sara asked dropping her piece of toast to look at him.

"Hearing that you hurt and I was so far away… I was so scared that something would happen and that our last conversation would be a static filled phone call and we are countries and time zones away. I don't want anything to bad to happen to you and I never want to be that far away from you again." Grissom said holding her hand tight. "I know I haven't been the best husband, and I want to be able to make it up to you…" Grissom said but was interrupted by Sara kissing him as she slid close.

"I love you, Gilbert." Sara said as she nestled against his chest. Grissom put his arm around her.

"Maybe we can have a normal family?" Grissom asked raising an eyebrow hiding a smile.

"Normal?" Sara chuckled.

"I said maybe." Grissom said chuckling as he ate the remainder of her toast. Sara smiled as her phone chimed. Sara chuckled reading the text message.

"Its Mandy, she says if we could bring something for Nick because he just threw his food tray at his doctor." Sara chuckled.

"Oh Nicky." Grissom laughed.

After they finish their breakfast they stop by Nick's favorite burger place and pick him a little something and then head to the hospital. Sara could only imagine how stir crazy Nick would be from his extended stay. Even in the lab, if Nick had stayed inside to long he'd get to anxious. He could never stay in the same place to long especially if he couldn't do anything.

As they approached Nick's room they hear an overflowing amount of giggles and laughter coming from his room. As Sara turned the corner she saw Mandy standing in a compromising position almost like she was on the bridge of peeing her pants, while Nick held his gut as he tried to fight his chuckles.

"What's going on?" Sara asked.

"He… we… just…" Mandy said causing Nick to laugh harder as she was unable to spit out what she was going to say because of her laughter. "I…" she said running to the bathroom. Once she was in the bathroom Nick was able to get control of his breathing.

"How are you feeling, Nicky?" Grissom asked.

"I will be better once I am out of here." Nick said as he tried to get comfortable on his bed.

"Throwing your food tray at the doctor, will sure speed the process up." Mandy teased joining his bedside as he sat up to make room for her.

"You know I hate this place." Nick mumbled as he rested his head against her back as she sat down on his bed.

"How are you guys doing?" Mandy asked.

"We are… good." Sara said with a certain smile, one that had been missing for a while. "What about you guys?"

"We are having a baby!" Nick said excited yet a little loopy from the medicine.

"I know, congrats." Sara said, Nick had told her at least a hundred times.

"I love you." Nick said as he kissed Mandy's cheek causing her to blush in front of Sara and Grissom. She felt his big hands move to cover her stomach. "My girls." Nick said lovingly and immediately grabbing Mandy's attention.

"I thought you wanted a boy?" Mandy asked turning to look at him, forgetting briefly about their visitors.

"I do… but I know it's a girl." Nick said smiling.

"How?" Mandy asked touching his face.

* * *

"_We know, Nicky. We've seen your little girl." Warrick said and Nick was instantly brought to tears._

"_It's… it's a… girl?" Nick cried squeezing Warrick's shoulder and Roger's hand as they stood up only to move closer and pull Nick in an embrace. Nick broke down in his friend's and father's grasp._

* * *

"I just do." Nick said shrugging his shoulders smiling. "I just want to be around to see her grow up. I want to be there for her first steps, her first words, and everything and I want to be able to share that with you." Nick said smiling; Mandy smiled giving him a kiss. She saw him again struggling with the pain medicine as he found himself very tired.

"I love you too, sleepy head." Mandy said touching his face.

"I hate these dang pain meds." He said as she laid him back as he held her hand and slipped into a slumber. She gently stroked his hand.

"The doctor was talking about sending him home soon but that was before Nick threw his tray at them." Mandy chuckled turning a little so she could look at them.

"You need to do some damage control?" Sara chuckled.

"No, they know what a stubborn pain in the ass he is. In his file it says that he is combative but don't tell Nick I told you." She said and they smiled.

As Sara and Grissom walked towards the elevator. Sara thought about Nick and Mandy, and the excitement on their faces as they lit up about their future child, and the love that they had between each other.

"Let's do it." Sara said as she held Grissom's arm.

"Do what?" Grissom asked not as confused as he led on.

"Let's… try… for… a baby, maybe?" Sara said not so much hesitant but in shock at her own words. "Let's be a family."

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I hope you enjoyed this story I had alot of fun writing it. I will post the sequel on Monday so be ready. I used this chapter and the one prior to set up the sequel. Tell what you think and anything you would like to see in the sequel. Please Review!


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